


Sanditon General hospital

by Buffalospecs



Category: Sanditon (TV 2019)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:15:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 31,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29354820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buffalospecs/pseuds/Buffalospecs
Summary: A modern Sidlotte based around relationships within the Sanditon general hospital.  Sanditon meets grey’s anatomy??
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker, Mary Parker/Tom Parker (Sanditon)
Comments: 308
Kudos: 217





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sanditon squad](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Sanditon+squad).



Chapter 1-An unexpected encounter

Charlotte braced herself as she turned the bend and ran into the wind, it was a bitter cold easterly despite being the month of May. She knew it would be this way as she had been enjoying her run around the hills of home with the wind behind her until now; Alison struggling to keep up with her pace. “Charlotte, slow down you’re too fast for me”. Charlotte stopped allowing Alison to catch up, breathing heavily and bending over in relief for the temporary respite. As they continued along the track towards home more slowly, they heard a panicked male voice on the phone. He stood outside a jeep anxiously pacing on his phone, tall thin and middle-aged. “I am not entirely sure, I took a short cut to Sanditon but I have a flat tyre and a wife in increasing need of help” he was talking loudly and somewhat aggressively into his mobile. “45 minutes? You’re joking? You do know I am the chief executive of Sanditon General and my wife is in labour-you can’t make it come any faster!!?”/p>

Charlotte approached the jeep and peered in through the passenger window. “Can i help you ma’am?” A woman sat hunched forward clutching onto the dashboard, perspiring with effort and obviously distressed and in pain. Charlotte had seen enough women in this state before that she went straight into professional mode. “Quick Alison, ring Dad and get him to meet us in the truck, and then ring Mum and tell her we have a woman in labour and we are bringing her home”. Tom became aware as he ended his call that he was no longer alone-2 young women were by his side. One talking to his wife Mary and the other on the phone. He came round to the passenger side “I’m so.... sorry Mary, the ambulance will be another 45 minutes”-his face conveyed his distress and concern  
“Pardon the intrusion Sir, but how long has she been in labour?” Asked charlotte  
“About an hour but the last birth was pretty quick,I am worried she won’t last until the ambulance gets here, my tyre is flat and it is a good hours drive from here to the hospital at Sanditon”  
“My father is on his way, we live but a mile away-I will ring the ambulance crew and divert them to our house” Charlotte immediately got onto them and expressed the situation brilliantly succinctly whilst clarifying their geographical location to the crew almost as though she had done this before, thought Tom.  
As they got Mary into her fathers car, Charlotte had established that Mary had done this 3 times before, how often the contractions were apart, that Mary had not had any birth complications last time and was aiming for a water birth. “The ship as sailed on that one dear” gasped Tom.  
The next hour passed trance-like for Tom as he was ushered along with Mary into the Heywood farm with care, calmness and appropriate speed, into a bedroom; Charlotte calmly directing her mother and sister into preparing for the birth of his fourth child, and appeared to proceed to capably assist his wife as she delivered his son James into the world, so that when the paramedics arrived there was really nothing left to do. 

Mr Heywood sorted out the tyre and once Charlotte had spoken to the community midwife in Sanditon, Mary, Tom and baby James were packing up to go home around 6 hours later.  
“Charlotte, you were simply wonderful” said Mary, “I don’t know how to thank you”.  
“Well it’s my job really so it was an absolute pleasure, it’s the first time I have been involved in a homebirth though! It’s been inspirational for me too Mary” this led on to the discussion of the unexpected coincidence that Charlotte was due to begin work that August in Sanditon general as she continued her obstetric training, the same Hospital that Tom was chief exec of. “How wonderful, you must come and stay as a thank you and we can introduce you to some of the locals before you start”


	2. New nanny?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte makes her way to Sanditon, initially to stay with the Parkers for the weekend before she starts her placement at Sanditon General. Here she encounters the hot but arrogant surgeon Sidney.

Chapter 2-‘“New nanny?”

Having managed to swap out of her last weekend on-call in Bristol, Charlotte found herself driving the familiar coast roads near home on her way to Sanditon, a small coastal town that she had never really bothered to visit much before. Her time at home was always so busy with her siblings and the farm and her family rarely ventured as far as the coast even though it was only an hours drive away. She was looking forward to a job near the sea where her down time could include beach and cliff walks. She spent most of her free time outdoors when she wasn’t working or studying for her professional exams. She was considered a bit of a swot by her fellow medical students at university, excelling at everything she did but with a friendly and self deprecating humility. Her colleagues and especially the midwives always going on at her for not making time for men. As she continued the drive and saw the coast approach to her left, Charlotte reflected on whether this placement she would finally make time for a relationship....she had to confess that there was always a level of excitement at joining a new team that there might be someone actually interesting enough to want to go out with. She had only a handful of short one-month long relationships at uni but nothing since and felt unable to waste her time hanging out with men she came to quickly realise did not match her intellect or spark her interest. Any time that made her feel odd or out of place she simply put her head down, studied harder or volunteered to do the extra night shifts that needed covered due to sick leave at work. She would never admit to feeling lonely, or wishing that she could find someone as secretly she always wanted to become a mother but all these feelings she buried deeply, so that she even managed to fool herself into thinking that the career focused Charlotte was exactly who she wanted to be.

Charlotte had arranged with Mary that she would stay for 3 nights with the Parkers and then move into the airbnb she had arranged for August, hoping to get something more permanent once September came.  
Having followed the google lady to the postcode that Mary had sent her she was shocked to find herself parking in front of a Georgian 3 storey double fronted house along a beautifully tree-lined avenue ‘Trafalgar place’. Mary greeted her excitedly and introduced her to her 3 other children as ‘the very special Dr Charlotte who delivered baby James’. Alicia, Jenny and Henry were so sweet and almost dragged Charlotte away to the play room before she had even set foot through the door proper. “Children, give Charlotte space, I’m sure she will come and play later when she is settled in”  
Mary led her up to the attic rooms and told her to make herself at home. “You won’t be disturbed up here, we often have guests or colleagues staying here and I hope you will find everything you need”  
“Thank you Mary, I’ve never had so much space to myself before” Her bedroom was in the eaves and led to an en-suite bathroom with a huge bath, the window had a view of the sea. Across the landing she discovered a little snug, with bookshelves, a comfy looking sofa behind which was a framed photograph of an exceedingly handsome man in a graduation gown in front of the royal college of surgeons.  
Wow she thought-how different this is from home as she thought of the guest space at the farm-one of her sibling’s bedrooms-and whichever child gave up their room slept on the sofa bed in the lounge and was turfed out as soon as mama got up to make the breakfast.

As she wandered back down the stairs she heard voices, recognising one as Tom coming from a room along the hall and walked in immediately regretting it as wondered if she had walked in on an impromptu meeting. “Ah Dr Heywood, said Tom, come and meet the great Dr Denham.” Charlotte found herself being very much appraised from head to toe by a lady she presumed to be post-retirement age. “Lovely to meet you Dr Denham” greeted Charlotte, as Tom regaled the lady with the tale of James’ birth, a few bits of information exaggerated for dramatic effect. Charlotte was a little embarrassed and promptly wished one of the children would barge in so she would have an exit strategy. “Dr Denham is former medical director of Sanditon General and is on the board of directors, she takes a great interest in all our young charges and is always involved in our fundraising activities”  
“I hope we will find you to be a useful ally for the hospital and the community Dr Heywood” spouted the great lady as though Charlotte was but a schoolgirl. Patronised though she felt, she found herself saying “Of course I will do all that is required” before instantly regretting it and wondering what she had inadvertently signed herself up to....she still had a research paper to finish, her clinical exam to sit in London in the autumn, along with her regular shifts at the hospital. Never mind the fact that she hadn’t met her actual colleagues yet. And nobody liked the ones that were too friendly with the management.....

Mercifully, Mary rescued her not long after this with plans for a walk to the beach with the children and she spent the rest of the afternoon happily forgetting the incident.  
As they walked back along the beach towards trafalgar place a lonesome runner dressed all in black was approaching rapidly in their direction along the sand, as he came closer Mary shouted “oh it’s Sidney!” He came to an abrupt stop, smiled at Mary, catching his breath whilst she hugged him and glanced briefly in Charlotte’s direction. “New nanny?” He said dismissively. Charlotte frowned at him, simultaneoulsy placing him as the being the real-hotter-life version of the surgeon-portrait in the snug ‘typical arrogant surgeon....why are the hot surgeons always arrogant’ she thought as Mary introduced her as Charlotte Heywood, the new obstetric registrar at Sanditon general joining them from Bristol.  
“Right, Dr.......”  
“Heywood” she said mirroring his dismissive facial expressions.  
“She you tomorrow Mary, at the famous end of year barbecue” and with another cursory nod at Charlotte he resumed his prior pace.  
“That was my brother-in-law Sidney, He’s so good, always supporting Tom in the hospital fundraising, he can seem rude at first like he was with you just now. I am sorry about that. He doesn’t always have the best opinion of our sex”  
“Right..”replied Charlotte, mentally registering that she planned to avoid him as much as possible and wondering what she gotten herself into with the Parkers this weekend.  
“I hope you don’t mind me asking Mary but the end of year barbecue?”  
“Oh yes I am sorry I should have mentioned it sooner. Tom organises a gathering to say thank you for all the fundraising efforts for the hospital the past year. A lot of your new colleagues will be there, I hope you will enjoy it. It’s in the garden at the house”  
On arrival back at the house they found Tom extravagantly praising the wonderful team putting up an enormous marquee in the ample back garden. Charlotte could hardly choose between befuddlement and joy as she anticipated being employed at such an unusual hospital where the chief exec organised staff BBQs....surreal, strange, wonderful, confusing.


	3. The barbecue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidney’s POV after the beach encounter and the BBQ where we are joined by Babbers and Crowe

Chapter 3: the BBQ 

The punishing hill up to the cliffs came into view as Sidney neared the rocky end of the beach, normally he would turn back and enjoy the wind behind him as he ran back along the shore to the town but he felt like punishing himself after his encounter with Mary and her new friend.....What was her name again? Charlotte? That was the name Tom and Mary mentioned over and over the past couple of months since the dramatic events of james’ birth and he didn’t realise it had been annoying him. Or was it annoying him that they spoke of her with such admiration and then when he saw her he immediately found her attractive. What was wrong with him? He called her the new nanny-was that because he hoped she was the new nanny as he was less likely to find a nanny a distraction. ‘Oh Shit I am an arrogant idiot’  
He spent the rest of the run thinking it best that he avoid any further interaction and anyway he’d be back in London by Tuesday. 

Feeling slightly unsure of herself and the bbq dress code Charlotte opted for the only feminine item amongst her packing-a one shoulder red floaty dress that reached her knees that she often wore to the pub on a Friday night with her favourite leather jacket.  
‘Courage Charlotte’ she mumbled to herself as she entered the garden and wandered towards the marquee.  
Earlier that day she had wandered about the town getting her bearings and had exchanged small talk with a woman of around her age with blond hair and perfect ivory skin as they waited in a long queue in a local coffee shop. They were interrupted by a tall blond man who pushed his way towards them, kissing the woman on the cheek “I’ll have a cappuccino thanks Clara” and with a wink he was off. The woman rolled her eyes and ordered the drinks then smiled politely at Charlotte and wandered off towards the beach.  
She was delighted to see that the same woman was now standing alone just inside the marquee, glass of wine in hand.  
“Small world this Sanditon......I’m Charlotte”  
“Hi Charlotte, I’m Clara. What brings you to Mr Parker’s famous BBQ”  
“Oh well I met him and his wife by chance a couple of months ago and I am starting work on Monday at the hospital so they invited me to stay for the weekend. Didn’t realise it would involve a big gathering like this I have to confess”  
“Sanditon General? I work there too, in labour ward. I’m a midwife”  
“Oh how exciting, I’m one of the Obs registrars”  
“I’m not long qualified -but so far I quite like it.”  
Charlotte and Clara’s musings about the delights and agonies of labour ward were interrupted by the arrival of a couple. The tall blond man, Charlotte recognised to be the winking cappuccino man from earlier in the day, his presumed girlfriend a haughty and sour faced albeit stunningly beautiful redhead.  
“Edward Denham” the man grinned charmingly at Charlotte, his gaze lingering a fraction too long on her chest. “What is a beauty like you doing at the Parker Party?”  
His girlfriend rolled her eyes, looking away.  
Clara interrupted the tension “Dr Denham, this is Charlotte, one of the new Obs registrars starting this week, I’m sorry Charlotte I don’t know your surname-I hope you don’t mind me not addressing you by your title”  
“Not at all, Charlotte Heywood”  
“Well Dr Heywood I shall have the pleasure of meeting you again in theatre no doubt soon. Although I stear clear of the business end” winking and grinning he excused himself and he and the woman wandered off towards the canapés.  
“He’s one of the Consultant anaesthetists” added Clara by way of explanation. You’ll get used to him. He’s a little over familiar though....  
“And the woman with him?”  
“His sister Esther, she is an ST7. Strange actually that they’re in the same specialty..... she’s very good at her job, speedy in a crisis I’ve found but you’ll not find her eating toast with the rest of us at 6am in the tea-room”.

“Charlotte, Charlotte.....How wonderful, wonderful” Tom arrived by her side and took hold of her elbow “Ah I see you’ve made a connection already very good very good” “Ah Sidney!! come and meet these delightful ladies”  
Charlotte turned her head to see Sidney approaching with two other men.  
“Sidney is a top Surgeon at UCHL, recently back from a research trip in Canada” Charlotte watched as  
Sidney’s eyes rolled ‘well at least he has the decency to be embarrassed by that’  
“Dr Heywood, Ms Brereton, allow me to  
Introduce my friends Francis Crowe and Lord Babbington” Sidney continued with an intensively serious expression, “Francis is a pathologist and Babbers is an aristocrat whose family are nobility but he likes to none the less mingle with us lesser mortals inside the abdomen of those in need” Lord Babnington chuckled whilst the pathologist looked them both up and down and murmured  
“Well where’s the best spot for a decent drink later ladies?........I don’t suppose they’ll be much gaiety at this function tonight, I was hoping of something a little more riske”  
Charlotte hardly knew what to say, frankly she had more than had her fill of suggestive older consultants and wished she had just started her Sanditon stint in the Airbnb....Clara appeared to be in full flirting mode and Charlotte didn’t know what to do with herself. Babbers had already wandered in the direction of Esther the elusive redhead at the canapés and that left Sidney standing silently beside her.  
He cleared his throat, trying not to register the sexy curves that apparently belonged to the ‘wonderful’ Charlotte. He was not prepared for the unfamiliar pull that she made him feel towards her after so short a meeting. He couldn’t walk away without appearing rude and was determined to be more civil than their last meeting. Charlotte broke the ice “I understand you are very supportive of Mr Tom’s fundraising events for the hospital...he seems delighted you are here.”  
“Yes I hope so, it is always difficult for these district general hospitals to attract the same calibre of support, Babbington brings a bit of interest wherever he goes and shares the family money tradition with Dr Denham so he’s always popular at these things”  
“And what does a high flying surgeon like you care for a small district general like Sanditon?”  
“For my brothers sake I care, his reputation is won or lost by the way he runs the hospital. He is trying to make a difference to the way business is done, push for new ideas and invest in cutting edge design and architecture and research-all for the benefit of the local community, you seem to suggest that his efforts are without foundation! You see Sanditon as just another stepping stone on your career journey without care for those whose lives are invested in the place!” Sidney’s voice rose in volume with each additional syllable, Charlotte was at a loss to comprehend how or what she had said that made him respond so aggressively. She found herself unable to control the moisture developing in her eyes as she spat out an apology “I am sorry I have offended you”  
“You have not offended me, I shouldn’t have expected so much from someone with so little experience”, he excused himself and made his way to the bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Registrar: level below a consultant but experienced in the specialty and does practice some things independently  
> ST7: final year of qualification in UK medical  
> Training system before qualifying in a specialty  
> And able to apply for consultant posts


	4. Sunday

Chapter 4: Sunday

The house was quiet it seemed the children were occupied or out, distantly Charlotte heard the antique clock in the downstairs hall  
chime nine. She had not slept well, tossing over the Sidney Parer outburst in her head. She was berating herself for apologising when HE had been the one out of order. Just because he was in a more senior position career wise did not give him the right. She was outraged and yet she also felt awkward. Her relationship with Tom and Mary was complicated-akin to friendship but he so happened to be the boss of sorts at her new workplace and she didn’t want to complicate matters at work or start on a back foot. ‘Arghhhh’ she audibly exclaimed as she rolled over and went to the bathroom to have a revitalising cold shower in the hope that would give her a way forward.

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like Charlotte, we have so enjoyed having you, the children so enjoy your company as do I, please count yourself invited any and every Sunday-we always have whoever of the family is around in Sanditon at the weekend for Sunday lunch”  
“Thankyou so much Mary, it’s been lovely but I should find my own space and get out of your hair....” Charlotte mentally noting that she would avoid Sunday lunches if Sidney was in town.  
As if she had conjured him from her thoughts he walked in at that moment to the kitchen where Mary and Charlotte had been drinking their morning coffee. “Sidney, Tom will be delighted to see you so early-he had urgent business to discuss with you or so he mentioned last night and didn’t have time to talk to you at the BBQ-I’ll go and fetch him”  
“Dr Heywood” nodded Sidney as he made his way over to the coffee machine to brew himself an espresso. Charlotte decided now was her moment. She prayed she would get the tone right.  
“Mr Parker, about our conversation at the party-I expressed myself badly, I didn’t mean to disparage your brother and have the upmost respect for what you and he are doing here for the hospital. I hope you don’t think too badly of me”  
“Think badly of you, I don’t think of you at all Dr Heywood. I’m sorry if that disappoints you but there it is” Charlotte was aghast and resolved that he was the arrogant tosser she had labelled him as “Well if you really don’t care I wonder why you take the trouble to be so rude and condescending, excuse me”  
Mary and Tom entered the kitchen to find Sidney staring in the direction of the disappearing shape of their houseguest, an unreadable expression on his face. It was not lost on Mary.....She was always secretly on he lookout for a woman who would bring out the soft, kind and loving man she knew Sidney to be that he hid from the world, and planned to ensure that Charlotte was at as many of the family Sunday lunches as possible over the next few months.

“What time did you surface Crowe, a little worse for wear this afternoon” smirked Babbers as they sat in the lounge bar of the Crown hotel. “You can talk, you spent the whole evening melting under the icy gaze of Esther Denham, what choice did I have but to find my own entertainment...which I happily did in the arms of a sexy midwife.....”  
“Never one to be the gentleman Crowe, I prefer a more subtle approach”  
“Subtle you call it-Ah Parker!......Well finally extracted yourself from that brother of yours?”  
“Yes......what have I missed?”  
“Just the story of Crowe here bedding a midwife”  
“Babbers has fallen for the ice queen” Babbington laughed, denying nothing. “She is deliciously disdainful, I find I am enjoying the hunt”  
Crowe spat out his beer in ridicule:  
“Well, I seem to remember you making similar attempt the last time we were here to no avail, what about you Parker I saw you eyeing up the busty Obstetrician-your brother appears to have taken under his wing-God help her!”  
Sidney remained silent,taking a drag from his E-cig and downing a swig of beer. Crowe undeterred mumbled on laughing “You should have seen her take on the dragon Dr Denham last night, brilliant she was, that old bat suggesting that to have a successful career in medicine as a woman you should remain single or at least childless. Fearlessly standing up for the rights of women, I loved it, she’s as feisty as that surgical fellow of yours, I’d bet she’d be a lively handful in bed”  
Sidney turned dark “Don’t even think about it Crowe, I mean it”  
“Woa-steady mate, but if a man is to ask without having his head bitten off what’s your history with her”  
“No history Crowe, what do you take me for, just that Georgiana and I are working towards an important piece of research and she doesn’t need the likes of you distracting her.”  
“Steady Parker, don’t let the feminist Dr Heywood hear you speak that way, telling your fellow not to enter relationships....rather stepping over the line do you not think?”

As he swam in the cold ocean, Crowe’s words about Charlotte Heywood and the stories from Mary kept coming up again and again in his mind. Then her curves under the red dress and Crowe’s image of her under him in bed. ‘Shit’ He willed himself to instead contemplate the next day as he hoped that Georgiana didn’t embarrass him in Sanditon general. He knew she was irritated that due to his arrangement with Tom the 2 year fellowship under his mentorship at UCHL included a 6 month placement in Sanditon General. He was convinced it was a good thing for his trainees to spend time away from the pressures of the London tertiary unit and get a sense of what a more normal surgical caseload looked like. He knew she had finally felt at home in London and had a new boyfriend. Crowe’s statement about him over-stepping the mark came to mind again as he wondered whether bringing her here at this juncture was a subconscious means of seperating her from Otis so she would be focused on their project. ‘Would I stoop that low?’ He dove under again and swam in the direction of the rocky cliff.

Panting with effort, Charlotte was elated as she ran barefoot in the shallow waters of the sea. ‘Why have I never got into beach running before’ she thought as her feet caressed each miniscule ripple of the sand momentarily when her forefoot met the ground, whilst the salty sea splashed up across the back of her calves. As she neared the end of the beach where the cliffs met the sea, she registered a swimmer exiting the water, his muscular body glistening as the sun caught the salt spray, the water running captivatingly down his skin, his wet shorts clinging to his form. She found herself slowing to a stop and looking a moment too long before her eyes moved to his face and locked with those of Sidney Parker. “OH...” She instinctively turned around and then felt ridiculous-bent down to pretend to tie a shoelace and realised she wasn’t wearing trainers...’Shit’  
“Dr Heywood!.....Am I never to get away from you”  
“Mr Parker, I can assure you, you were the last person I wished to see” her voice came out strained.  
“Sorry I wasn’t thinking straight, forgive me”  
“Of course, excuse me” Charlotte hastily resumed her pace in the opposite direction back down the beach, mentally trying to ensure her running form was perfect and glad that she was wearing the shorts that made her bum look good rather than the high viz ones she bought for the Bristol half marathon.  
Sidney smirked as he watched her go until she was no longer visible in the distance, enjoying the view of her muscular bum in her running shorts, impressed with her pace and thinking she would be some running partner....and not imagining what those same limbs would be like engaged in an alternative form of exercise.


	5. Day one at Sanditon General

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m trying to stick to a familiar sequence of events as the original S1 but feeling a bit overwhelmed at how I’m going to get the events of episodes 4 and 6 into the Hospital story! You may have to forgive me if I deviate somewhat

It had been a busy morning with two planned caesareans and an emergency forceps delivery but Charlotte had loved her first shift in the Sanditon labour ward. The pace was slower than she was used to in Bristol and that gave her a chance to have a coffee in the tearoom with the midwives and catch up on who was who and meet some of the staff she would spend the next year working alongside. Her consultant told her to take a break for lunch and she wandered along to the canteen looking forward to a bit of solitude. She must have looked uncertain what direction to take when she nearer the myriad of counters.   
“Definitely recommend the deli bar” came a voice from behind her.   
“Oh thanks, I was a bit unsure with all the options.....I’m Charlotte, you’re -James I see, I like the badge” she smiled glancing briefly at the Iron man badge emblazoned ‘JAMES’ in italics across it. James chuckled, blushed and ruffled his hair slightly...”The kids like it, I mostly do paediatric physio. Although to be fair when I pull the odd shift in geri’s the ladies haven’t complained. At least they can read it the letters are huge!”  
“Well I think it’s lovely. Much prefer a name badge than not and mines very boring in comparison.”   
James found himself stating a little too long at the ID badge pinned above her left breast.   
“Well nice to meet you James, see you around”

Having bought her sandwich she went in search of a free seat in the bustling canteen   
“Dr Heywood! Over here!” She followed the voice and saw Edward Denham waving enthusiastically across a long table filled with mostly unfamiliar faces but saw as she approached (how could she not it would appear rude), that the only free seat was next to none other than Sidney Parker. She was confused seeing him here after Tom had introduced him as ‘A top surgeon at UCHL’.   
He appeared to be in conversation with a younger woman to his left “Mr Parker”   
“Dr Heywood,” his face remained serious. “This is my research fellow Georgiana Lambe, she is doing her placement at Sanditon general whilst working on her phD at UCHL. Georgiana-Charlotte is an ST6 in obstetrics.” Charlotte smiled at Georgiana and got into conversation about whether she was enjoying Sanditon-which Georgiana was not.....she did look a bit miserable.....and then led into the usual medical chat about where they had done their placements etc. All the while Charlotte didn’t notice that Sidney spent most of the time watching her as she disarmed his usually stony and unfriendly fellow.  
“Sorry to interrupt you both but Ms Lambe, I must ensure I’ve introduced you to the rest of the surgical team before I go back to London, especially as you’re on take tonight. Excuse us”.

At the 5pm handover in labour ward, Charlotte happily handed over the bleep to her colleague on for the late shift. She summarised the events of the day “The only woman left in labour is XX in room 5. She is a 16 year old prim and in good going labour. She’s on IV labetalol for her blood pressure but her PET bloods are normal. She is stable since Dr Denham’s epidural. She seems to be approaching the second stage so hopefully we will see a baby in there soon”. The bleep went and Julia answered it “Hey, the surgeons are looking one of us to go the theatre 1 for an opinion on an ovary”   
“I’ll go” answered Charlotte, “It might take awhile and you should stay in case XX needs a lift out.”

Charlotte entered theatre through the scrub room and registered Georgiana on the operator side of the table. “Hi Charlotte, thanks for coming, didn’t think we would meet over a case so soon! This is XX, she is 8, I thought we had an appendix but it’s normal, the ovary looks unusual can you scrub and take a look.”  
“No problem”. She felt a bit nervous-she had never operated on an 8 year old before-any gynae surgery in children was usually in the children’s hospital or transferred to London. She asked the nurse in charge to ring Dr Fuchs, her consultant to ask him to join her. Georgiana gave her the operating side and together they delicately untwisted the right ovary and watched as it went from purple back to its normal colour. “Great, the blood supply isn’t compromised, I think we are ok” smiled Charlotte. “Good call though Georgiana, if you hadn’t taken her now she might have lost her ovary -that was a nasty torsion”   
Dr Fuchs, the Hospital’s laid back senior obstetrician/gynaecologist merrily sauntered in and surmised that the ovary should be left alone and left Georgiana and Charlotte to close. Sidney passed Dr Fuchs in the corridor “Dr Fuchs-have you a gynae case in theatre? I thought to find my fellow Ms Lambe in there!”   
“Ah yes, the appendix turned out to be an ovary, but the girls have it under control Mr Parker”  
‘Girls....’ thought Sidney ‘How Georgiana would hate to be called girl...’  
He peered though the anaesthetic room door to see if the case was finishing up and spotted Charlotte not Georgiana on the operator side. The atmosphere in theatre seemed relaxed, friendly. Even Esther Denham who was obviously the anaesthetist in the case was laughing . Sidney felt a pang of envy-was that what it was? Or sadness?-there was always an air of tension in theatre when he was operating. ‘How does she manage to keep everyone relaxed and friendly and she is only an ST6....’  
He could tell they were finishing up so wandered along the corridor to find the little girl’s parents to let them know that their daughter was being woken from her surgery. He felt some responsibility as had been there when Georgiana was discussing surgery with them earlier in the afternoon. As he explained that the appendix was normal, in walked Charlotte. “Ah Dr Heywood, I was just explaining to Mr and Mrs X that their daughters’ appendix was normal” She smiled briefly at him but went straight over and sat down opposite the couple.  
“Hello, I’m Charlotte Heywood, your daughter is waking up from her surgery just now, she is very well, the team called me as I am a gynaecology doctor and the pain was coming from a twisted ovary and not a burst appendix.......”  
Sidney watched her trance-like as she sat forward in her chair, her beautiful eyes (beautiful yes I suppose they are) fully engaged in contact with the terrified parents before her, registering their concern, responding to their questions, succinctly clearly and expertly. He was spellbound. This was always the most difficult part of his job. Complex anatomy, vascular tumours, long hours spent operating he could handle, anxious parents were up there with the most challenging for him. Charlotte made it look easy. The couple were smiling, their shoulders visibly relaxing from earlier.  
“Do you want to add anything Mr Parker?”  
He found himself caught off guard. He hadn’t been paying exact attention to what she had said already. “N...No unless you have anything further you’d like to ask?” He dragged his eyes away from the sparkling chocolate saucers he had been glued to towards those of Mr &Mrs X. “No I think Dr Heywood has answered everything thank you. When may we see her”  
“I shall ask your daughters’ recovery nurse to call you as soon as possible” smiled Charlotte. “And I’ll come and see you and X tomorrow with my consultant Dr Fuchs”

Both Sidney and Charlotte left the room and walked back towards the recovery ward.   
“I must admit Dr Heywood, you’ve been very impressive just now, I had not expected you to be so.....competent”  
“Because I am a woman, or because you have dismissed me as inexperienced”  
“I am sorry, I was out of order, forgive me”  
“How can I not, since I was equally guilty of dismissing you?”  
“Is that so, go on Dr Heywood, it is always interesting to find out what first impressions I give off”  
Charlotte looked at him contemplatively “Well apart from your arrogant presumptions about me, Georgiana was also telling me about you weighing in with your opinion on her relationships. As women is is hard enough making our way in surgical specialties without our senior male colleagues undermining us because of our gender.” She took a sharp intake of breath “Right sorry, I don’t suppose you were actually ready for my frankness”  
He regarded her thoughtfully “I invited your opinion and you may have a point. Crowe said something similar to me yesterday”  
Charlotte raised her eyebrows in shock “Coming from you I shall take that as a compliment”   
Sidney hesitated, the corners of his lips upturning into a smile “Do you often ambush unsuspecting men on the beach”   
“I can assure you that was not an ambush, I was running, as it happened from one end of the beach to the other.”  
“Well then” he smirked “I must go and bid farewell and good luck to Georgiana-until next time Dr Heywood”

‘That was unexpected’ thought Charlotte and as she walked back to her Airbnb from her first shift at the hospital she found her mind kept returning to the image of Sidney Parker looking at her with admiration in the theatre corridor. She found herself replacing the image with one of him looking with the same eyes at her except this time he was on the beach in his swimwear, glistening in the sun ‘watch it Charlotte, dangerous thoughts...’


	6. Another weekend in Sanditon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully the chapter speaks for itself. I haven’t bothered explaining any medical terms as they come up....getting lazy !!!

With not many other places to go on a Saturday night the crown bar was busy. Charlotte was glad to been asked along by the midwives who were having a girls night. Clara dressing more provocatively than Charlotte felt the occasion warranted-she felt almost like a prude with her high neck blouse and skinny jeans. The others were showing way more flesh and getting plenty of attention. Not that she wanted attention....far from it.  
It was her round and as she approached the bar she recognised James, he looked dapper out of his physio uniform, his muscly forearms and pecs on display through his skin tight tee and shirt combo.  
“Hi Charlotte, can I buy you a drink?”  
“Good to see you again James, actually  
I’m with the girls in that corner-the labour ward crew”  
“I’ll bring the lads over then” he responded winking.”Oi, Fred, Mark-over here!”

When Charlotte arrived back to the table with not only drinks but 3 men, she got cheers from the midwives and the men looked decidedly pleased with themselves. All in all it was good banter. Once the karaoke started though, she started to feel a bit self conscious and out of place and made her excuses to leave.  
James rapidly got up to follow.  
“I’ll walk you home..”  
“Err...ok....thanks James”

Despite James’ best efforts he couldn’t come up with a reason to ask for Charlotte’s phone number and spent the next two weeks trying to suss out her movements in relation to the hospital canteen to no avail. 

Charlotte had met up for dinner and a couple of beach runs with Georgiana. At every opportunity Georgiana brought up the idea that Charlotte consider a fellowship in London next year.  
“You would love London Char it’s like nowhere else”  
“Maybe. I have to get my part 3 exam first it’s in October and then I’ll see how I feel I guess”  
“I’ll put some feelers out with Sidney for Obs colleagues at UCHL, can’t do any harm”

Georgiana’s phone buzzed with an incoming text:  
“Amazing!!! My boyfriend Otis is literally on the train right now-come and meet him”  
“Oh no don’ t worry I don’t want to get in your way-you were saying how much you missed him this past fortnight”  
“Come to the station and we can get coffee I’m assuming he’ll be here all weekend”.  
Upon meeting Otis, Charlotte immediately understood what Georgiana saw in him. He was handsome, charming and friendly and seemed to adore her. At some point the conversation led on to Sidney parker whereupon she became uncomfortable. Otis began the tale of his rejection from Sidney’s fellowship in the last round and suggested he preferred to take on female fellows and had never had a black trainee working under him until Georgiana. His hands were tied with her as his boss and the others on the interview panel had insisted she made the cut. It didn’t occur to Charlotte to enquire as to how Otis got this information instead she felt shocked that the man she had begun to think of more favourably-hell he had occupied one or two erotic dreams if she was honest could actually be a racist and a chauvinist. It confused her. It didn’t sit right with what she knew of Tom and Mary and the charities that they were committed to- but then brothers wouldn’t necessarily see eye to eye on these things. 

Her head mangled with thoughts and questions she absent-mindedly walked through the streets back to her flat, forgetting she had arranged to meet Mary and the children on the beach for a picnic. 

“I am so so sorry Mary, Alicia, Jenny, Henry-I got lost in my own thoughts and forgot the time”  
Charlotte arrived to a chaotic scene with poor Mary a little flustered by trying to prevent the 3 older ones from running out of her sight whilst breastfeeding Baby James on the picnic blanket.  
“Charlotte, so pleased to see you, sorry about these 3 crazies”  
“Not at all, they’re a delight” she responded as she quickly kicked off her sandals and joined the game of tig.  
Exhausted from running, the children sank down beside her on the rug some 15 minutes later and tucked into the cheese sandwiches. 

“Now tell me all about work and how it’s been. I heard you saved the day for your surgical colleagues on your first day! I TOLD Sidney you were outstanding”  
Charlotte blushed embarrassed  
“Everyone has been so welcoming. I’m loving the job, and it has been lovely getting to know Georgiana....” her voice trailed off as her thoughts were carried to Otis’ opinion of Sidney.  
“You must come to lunch on Sunday-it’s been 3 sundays and you’ve yet to come! I won’t take no for an answer. Tom has invited the Denhams-you know Esther and Edward from work I’m sure by now and their aunt....well it can’t be helped-Tom needs to keep her on side, she still holds great power with the politicians locally-and sadly they hold the purse strings over Tom’s decisions”  
Charlotte really did think Mary was wonderful and she couldn’t come up with a reason to avoid the invitation. She was hoping at the very least she would be able to seat herself next to Esther or Mary or better still Jenny and Alicia, and couldn’t decide whether she was hoping Sidney was in London this weekend.

Her stomach did summersaults as she arrived at trafalgar place on Sunday to see not only the Denhams but also Sidney’s two Consultant friends from the bbq. She felt nervous, 24 hours before she would have felt excited at the prospect of seeing him again as their last conversation had not left her mind in almost 3 weeks. She had replayed it countless times, but now with this information about his fellowship she was unsure of him. Wandering to the playroom to say hello to the kids and avoiding the reception room to her right for as long as possible, she stopped abruptly at the door finding Sidney on his knees, Jenny on his back with a stethoscope round her neck and Henry wielding a sword. Alicia was in stitches and Sidney roared at her.  
“Charlotte, Charlotte, come and be sick so Zog and the flying doctors can fix you”.  
At the sound of her name, Sidney spun round to face her blushing handsomely and put Jenny down.  
“Ah Dr Heywood, you’ve come at a critical juncture”  
“Charlotte is just fine Mr Parker”  
“Sidney then” he smiled and took her all in then returned to her eyes. They were still fixed on his. He cleared his throat and turned back to the children.

“Right, now you’re all set to watch Zog, come and find one of us in the dining room when you’re done, we will be having our boring grown-up chat”  
She felt momentarily sure that Otis must be mistaken....and resolved to get to the bottom of it one way or another.

“I met Georgiana’s boyfriend Otis yesterday.”  
Sidney spun around to face her abruptly.  
“I understand you met when he applied for your fellowship last year”  
“Yes....”  
The ice had returned to their conversation  
“Shall we join the others Dr Heywood?”  
‘So we are back to Dr already’ thought Charlotte. 

The others were all seated when they arrived in the dining room, forcing Charlotte to take her place next to Sidney once again. Conversation was sprinkled with anecdotes around the table but mostly centred around the funding issues at the hospital with Tom and Dr Denham senior sparking off each other.  
Babbington seemed to be getting on well with Esther much to her brothers annoyance and Charlotte was glad to have Francis Crowe to her left. She remembered what Sidney had said about him and thought perhaps his persona was a bit of a front, doubtless he was a very clever man underneath his seemingly superficial exterior. 

The dialogue at the other end of the table seemed to be veering off course.  
“Dr Denham, I really don’t think this conversation is suitable for present company, the present Medical Director has had his fair share of battles and has inherited a difficult legacy”  
Tom seemed flustered, loosening his collar, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.  
“I was always suspicious of him from the off, what would he know of our people Mr Parker, he’s not a Sanditon man is he, he doesn’t even have a British medical degree!”  
Charlotte felt the room tense, the conversations all suddenly ending and every face turned towards the great lady....why was no one else responding? Well she couldn’t let it rest. Was everyone else too afraid of her?  
“Dr Denham, I’m not sure to whom you are referring but some of my best obstetric colleagues and seniors are not UK born or trained, I believe we should be very thankful that they have left their homelands in order to work in our communities-often at great personal cost.....”  
Sidney glanced at her, once again entranced by the words on her lips. He glanced down at them, luscious pink and slightly swollen, he could tell that she was nervous despite her impassioned speech and wanted to form some sentence of agreement but found the moment was lost as he had spent those seconds becoming distracted by the way her lower lip was drawn under her teeth as she ended her sentence. Instead Dr Denham retorted:  
“Well I have experienced plenty who do not meet my expectations isn’t that right Mr Sidney. I believe you understand my meaning!”  
‘Oh God thought Sidney, what is the old bat doing now’  
“I will not be drawn into discussing confidential information Dr Denham and I recommend you consider doing likewise” he shut her down as quickly as possible, not anticipating that the woman would mount a new and separate attack on Charlotte. Every one else in the room knew that putting Dr Denham in her place usually resulted in personal injury.  
“Well, Dr Heywood you are very free with your opinions but I see that the one you so strongly attested to at the bbq you are not able to live up to. You are a career focused single woman are you not. Keep it that way is my advice if you want to move up the ladder, as Esther is doing”  
“Aunt!!” Esther fumed, and was rescued uncharacteristically by Edward who invited his aunt to explore Mrs Parker’s rose garden. Everyone rose from their seats. Esther coming quickly over to Charlotte  
“I’m so sorry Charlotte, I think she’s getting worse. She’s always been trouble but I’m starting to wonder if she doesn’t have early onset dementia-she has never been that bad at one of Tom Parkers Sunday lunches. Gracious you’ll be sorry you set foot in Sanditon”  
“I’m sorry you think that Esther, actually I’m loving Sanditon, I just couldn’t let the racism thing go, I see enough of it at work and have started to think sitting and listening when others speak that way is as bad as doing the talking-you know yourself you overhear stuff in the tea room.”  
“Yes....you’re something else Charlotte Heywood. Am starting to think you’re a bit of a mover and shaker.”  
“No I really don’t think so Esther, it has been getting to know Georgiana that has brought it home to me over the past weeks. She has experienced subtle racist remarks at Sanditon general much more so than in London. You and I know what it’s like to feel like you have to be even better than our male colleagues in order to prove that we are worth our salt-I’ve seen how much harder it is for her to be both a woman and black. And she is goddam brilliant surgeon not to mention her publication record and she is still only half way through her fellowship”  
Their conversation was interrupted by Babbington who approached them with the bottle of Sauvignon blanc”Top up ladies?” He poured without waiting for a response.  
“Dr Denham, I wondered whether I could persuade you to be my plus one at the UCHL Halloween masked ball”  
Esther rolled her eyes “Balls aren’t really my thing Babbington, I don’t do pretence”  
“No neither do I, which is why I would so value your company.....One is expected to attend and be seen at these things and it would be infinitely less tedious with you by my side”  
Esther let out a laugh.  
“Well Babbington I will consider it”  
“That will keep me going until our next meeting. I hope to see you when I return with Sidney in September, perhaps I could text you the details of the ball?”  
“Don’t push it Babbington, feel free to bring the details with you next time” she replied smirking.

“Well his intentions are clear Esther” laughed Charlotte “and he’s not afraid of showing it.....there’s something endearing about that” 

The bifold doors into the garden were open, from where she stood Charlotte spotted Edward and his aunt at the roses, she holding onto his arm, looking aged and Charlotte felt sad, perhaps she should feel sorry for the great lady rather then considering her an enemy to battle with. Life was complicated after all and her experience likely to have influenced her opinions. She sipped her wine and out of the corner of her eye noticed Sidney watching her. As she turned her head towards him, he looked back towards Crowe to continue their conversation. She was desperate to ask him about the situation with Otis. It couldn’t be true could it? But then he had opportunity to speak out against Dr Denham at the table and could have backed her up when she talked about her colleagues-but he did neither. Georgiana though, he clearly thought she was very capable. So confusing. And not least the fact that despite these thoughts that were clouding her judgement of his character, he still looked hot as hell and it was doing things to her insides.


	7. Mr Hankins blossoms

Changing out of her scrubs on Thursday evening in order to make her way home, Charlotte felt her phone buzz in her back pocket.

———U free 4 coffee later? Day from hell w lunatic MrH. Need debrief to recover. Gx

———Yep. Ditto w DrF. Look forward to catch up. My place 8? Cx

The doorbell rang and in walked Georgiana with a bottle of red in hand, kicking her shoes off she landed heavily on charlotte’s sofa.  
“Before I get carried away with MrH and his flowers......”  
“Flowers?”  
“I will come to that-anyway-you said that this AirBnb was until the end of August and the flat my dad has rented for me is huge, so you should move in with me”  
“Georgiana!” Charlotte’s eyes widened with shock. Georgiana’s flat was one of the penthouse apartments overlooking the sea-it was amazing- it was her fathers’ idea to give her somewhere nice to stay since she was so reluctant to come to Sanditon. He was an investment banker still living back home in the Caribbean. She even had full access to the deluxe gym in the basement. It was a very tempting offer. Georgiana registered that Charlotte was processing this so ignored her changing facial expressions continuing-  
“SO Mr Hankins-we are doing this lap chole and the scrub nurse Phil-You know the one, petite blonde smiles all the time and super sweet but just a tad annoying-well she was the scrub and Edward D was the anaesthetist and unfortunately the rest of the theatre team were also female and he starts banging on about how wonderful it is to operate with all these beautiful blossoms surrounding him even the exotic ones. I mean could you ever! I nearly dropped the camera.”  
“Shut up!!!! That’s super creepy.....I am not sure I’ve met him-And not sure I want to. My Dr Fuchs story is pretty tame compared to that”  
“I couldn’t believe it....Phil actually seemed chuffed as though she took it as a compliment. I was like-get me outta here, only 5 more months of Sanditon and I am most definitely counting!.......So what happened with Dr F?”

Charlotte poured the wine and brought it over to the sofa, joining Georgiana with her feet tucked under herself.  
“As I say, pretty tame compared to you. He and Clara-not sure if you’ve met-she’s a midwife-don’t know quite what to make of her, she is desperate for attention from men, seems to be something going on between her and Edward Denham but then was all over the London pathologist at the bbq and a guy called Fred in the pub the other night-anyway I digress. She is actually really good as a midwife, and she and Dr Fuchs were doing this demonstration at lunchtime teaching on the benefits of water-birth. He is such an eccentric-he had Clara in the pool-in her scrubs don’t worry-and the bath was empty. Anyway I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I’m more used to PowerPoint....!”  
“Well at least it was entertaining, the surgical teaching is dull as.....”  
“In other news check out latest text from Otis.......came today”

(Image is gif of sexy black woman in ball gown)  
——-Knowing I will have the sexiest surgeon on my arm at the UCHL masked ball....details to follow xx

“Have you heard of it? It’s famous in the London deanery. You cannot get an invite as a trainee so don’t know how he has got us tickets but it is the place to be seen especially coming up to CCT. Nobody gets a consultant post in London if they haven’t been there. It’s at Halloween”

“Oh that must be the one that Babbington has invited Esther to......”

“Babbington and Esther, didn’t see that coming”

“Well she didn’t seem to necessarily agree to it.......I’ll be doing my part 3 clinical at the Royal College that day-that’s if the ball is actually Halloween night? My exam is on the 31st”

“Oh cool, come and stay over the night before at my place in London, where’s the college?

“Regent’s Park”

“Like 3 minutes from my flat in Marylebone, you can stay on Friday if you like.....why don’t we get you an invite too.....What about Francis Crowe -would you go with him? He’s bound to be persuadable”

“Err no....you’re ok, I’ll get the train back. But coming up the night before would be great if you’re going to be there. Saves some of the stress of travelling to London on the day and worrying about being late for the exam.”

“You’re moving in here to the second bedroom though right”

“It is an amazing offer Georgiana, only if you let me pay rent and if you’re sure it won’t cramp your style when Otis comes for the weekend”

“Well you know he works every second weekend and has only managed to get away once so far so.......AND anyways you’re a gynaecologist right so I’m guessing you’re comfortable with you know......sex etc.”

Charlotte wasn’t altogether sure of how to respond to that but did think if the worst came to the worst she could try to swap into the weekends on-call when it looked like Otis might be about.....


	8. Unpleasant encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning references birth trauma

———You in a team yet for the 5-a-side? E  
———First I’ve heard of it. Cxx  
———Great I’m one place short with the female anaesthetic team, happy to pretend to be a gasdoc for the day? I play every year....not worth arguing with Aunt Lydia.....  
———Ok where & when are we talkin?  
———beach/sat 25th/2pm  
winners buy losers a round in the crown, pay2watch £ goes to G&E at the H  
———ok count me in but I’m working Friday night so I might be a bit useless  
———don’t worry me too, it’s only for a laugh

“There is no way I’m embarrassing myself on the beach playing football with colleagues from work Charlotte so be glad you’re on Esther’s team. I’ll pay to watch you beat the assholes that are Edward and Sidney though....I’ll bet Tom ropes Sidney into playing and Babbington for that matter. They always draw a crowd....” Georgiana was chewing on toast as she wandered around the kitchen sorting out her work lunch.  
Charlotte sat silently drinking her morning coffee thinking that she hadn’t considered having to be up against Sidney.  
Not long after they wandered up the road together on foot to the hospital.  
Neither heard the person on their tail trying to catch up with them until the hot breath from his exertion was almost felt across their bare necks.  
“Charlotte!!” She turned to find James puffing and panting behind her.  
“For someone comparatively short you can’t half walk at pace”  
Georgiana smirked and kept walking-“see you later Char”  
“Yea cool-have a good day, hope you get through the list with MrH unscathed today!”  
“That sounds ominous” James jittered next to her “I have been hoping to see you again, in the Crown or even in the canteen! You’re a difficult woman to track down.....Errr... you interested in joining my 5 a side team for the hospital footie match? There are 2 of us physios and some ED staff and well.....we are 1 short”  
“Oh sorry James, I’ve joined some of the anaesthetists. Maybe next time? Have a lovely day-I’d better run or I’ll be late for the handover”  
James watched her sprint away from him....’still no closer to getting her bloody phone number....’

The day in labour ward passed relatively uneventfully apart from the fast bleep from sister Griffiths with a shoulder dystocia which mercifully was easily sorted with minimal manoeuvres. Wednesday was a day in clinic and then she was back in labour ward on Thursday ahead of her 24 hour shift on Friday. This was a heavy week hours wise as she had agreed to cover the night shift on Friday as a favour, knowing she had a quiet week of study leave coming up to cram for her clinical. She really didn’t have time for a 5-a-side match but then she supposed she wouldn’t get much done after her on-call shift anyway.

As she walked towards the changing room, she accidentally opened the door to the CSSD storage room instead of the female lockers, hearing a commotion, she was mortified to discover she had interrupted a liaison. She thought she recognised the eyes of one of the intermingled bodies as belonging to Edward Denham but then it was dark and she closed the door as quickly as it had opened so she couldn’t be sure.  
‘Wowsers’ she thought, ‘I honestly thought that only happened on Grey’s Anatomy....’  
Changing out of her scrubs, she caught herself in the mirror. ‘Gosh, I look dreadful.’  
She was working long hours, studying hard and sleep was still not what it had been. ‘You need to stop losing sleep over Sidney Parker Charlotte’.....  
Leaving the hospital through the car park, she saw a BMW pull into a free space and none other than the man himself exiting the vehicle. She continued walking as though she hadn’t seen him.  
“Dr Heywood!........Are you well?” Sidney gazed at her intensely, happy that his arrival at the hospital coincided with her departure. He wondered if this was his opportunity to be brave enough to ask her out for a drink later. He was fairly sure she had a low opinion of him but found each time they met he was more captivated by her.  
“Thank you yes, bit tired. What brings you to Sanditon on a Thursday?”  
“I have a research meeting with Ms Lambe, she asked to reschedule from tomorrow which would have suited me better I confess but I was able to move things around to meet this evening”  
“Right....well I hope your meeting goes well”  
“Would you....no never mind I’m sorry I won’t keep you” Sidney hesitated and pushed his hand through his hair grasping the hair behind his head in frustration.  
She frowned at him, a delightful furrow appearing between her eyebrows.  
“Can I ask you about Otis Molyneux, Mr Parker? What is it you have against him?”  
Sidney blew out air from behind his cheeks  
“I am not at liberty to discuss the inns and outs of my dealings with Mr Molyneux”  
“You are determined to remain dark and mysterious then, to keep your cards close to your chest”  
Sidney stared at her, his lips moving slightly as though he was formulating a reply....Charlotte soldiered on..  
“He suggested you had an issue with black male trainees, preferred to take on white female surgical fellows in the main.”  
“He said WHAT!?” Sidney turned away and then back again “And THIS is your opinion of me”  
“I wanted to hear it denied from your own lips”  
He felt overwhelmingly disappointed in her and stared at her defiant face. Disappointment turned to anger....not 5 minutes before he had been building up the courage to ask her out and now he was irate that she had so misunderstood him.  
“I do not have to justify myself to you, excuse me” He turned abruptly and walked in through the revolving doors.

‘Why did he refuse to deny it? He is so frustratingly closed. What is f***** wrong with him. Arghhhh and why do I f***** care so much’  
Charlotte got home and promptly went out for a run along the beach, putting her limbs through their paces to expel her frustrations and anger.  
Once home and out of the shower she noticed 2 text notifications on her phone in the kitchen.

———Come for brunch once you’re up on Saturday before the match...I hear you’re on-call Friday. The kids have a pancake party planned to give you energy. Mary X  
———C-awkward research meeting w SP are you at the flat-need a drink!!Gx

She sent a couple of quick texts back  
———thanks Mary sound like fun. Cx

_____yep. CUsoon Cx

Georgiana assumed her usual spot on the sofa, splayed out across the L shaped corner.

“So Sidney is raging that I haven’t finished writing my review article. I was waiting for the team at Kings to publish their data so I could include it, he wanted in next months edition of the Lancet and told me I was getting distracted” Georgiana dramatically rolled her eyes. ”Seriously sometimes that man needs to take a chill”  
“Yes he does seem edgy”

“Oh sorry for this but have to cry off your football thing on Saturday. Otis texted to say he his taking me away for a surprise weekend away. He’s collecting me straight from the morning clinic-I’ve no idea where we are going-How romantic is that!”  
“It’s lovely” replied Charlotte, torn between her conflicting feelings about Otis and Sidney.  
Once they’d eaten a quick pasta dinner they both got down to work, Charlotte revising for her clinical and Georgiana editing her article.

It was late when Charlotte finally got to sleep, her mind muddled between the arguments for and against cervical cerclage and the image of Sidney Parker’s angry face outside the hospital.  
Not far away on the third floor of the Parker house in trafalgar place, Sidney sat in the snug nursing a whisky. It was 1 am, he was glad he’d managed to take tomorrow off as a day with his brother’s children was perhaps exactly what he needed. What had made him lose it in front of Charlotte Heywood. Why did she have to be so bloody presumptuous. Did she really think that he would make decisions regarding his fellows on the basis of colour and gender. What kind of man did that make him in her eyes. He reflected on the sunday lunch where she had so bravely disagreed with the senior Dr Denham on non-UK born doctors. He hadn’t backed her up, he’d kept quiet. Did she assume his silence was discordance? And what depths was Otis sinking to by slandering his name in such a way. He was playing a dangerous game. Sidney’s reputation was firmly established in the London deanery and Otis would be looking for a post soon. Perhaps he didn’t expect Charlotte Heywood to have the guts to confront him.....but Sidney knew her to be fearless....yes fearless....and boy was that attractive, her face contorted with frustration made him want to take her up against a wall. His mind quickly went down that rabbit-hole and he found himself chasing his physical release.


	9. Friday night shift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning-references pregnancy loss and birth trauma

“We’re just out of theatre with XX, she is now a para 1 following a trial. Successful vaginal birth but she a PPH of 1.5litre, FBC awaited, her starting Hb was 125 so hopefully she’ll get away without blood. Baby’s ok, apgars normal, on the breast now.....Rooms 3 and 5 doing their own thing-midwifery led. Gynae ward is quiet, no-one expected. So hopefully you’ll have a quiet night.” Julia handed Charlotte the bleep.  
“Thanks sounds like a busy day, any plans for your evening?”  
“Well Mark has invited me to the crown for a drink. What did you make of him?”  
“Go for it, he seems like a good guy, lovely eyes....”  
Julia giggled and blushed “Yes true.....I am looking forward to seeing him in his football shorts tomorrow. He’s on James’ team.-You know the physio who fancies you”  
Charlotte laughed embarrassed....  
“I don’t think so Julia, he’s just really friendly with everyone”

Charlotte did her usual ‘bedtime’ ward round, working out where all the potential issues were, having a catch up with the midwives on the antenatal and postnatal wards and the nurses on gynae. There was a lot of gossip about the 5-a-side the next day and a discussion of who was the most eligible of the single males that would be on display.  
“I’m team Stringer, have you seen his muscly hot bod, he is a physio after all, think of the massages he could offer....”  
“Marianne, always straight to the dirty talk” laughed Angela.  
“I am not saying anything that the pair of you aren’t already thinking. Anyway, it’s not like we often get good looking blokes coming our way. These crumbs need to be appreciated”  
“Dr Fuchs is single.....” added Charlotte conspiratorially.  
“Go for it girl, but he’s not for me” laughed Marianne.  
“Anyway-good to see you both, hopefully not see you again tonight fingers crossed it stays quiet” Charlotte waved her goodbyes.  
“Shhhh” urged Marianne “Don’t say the Q word.....”

Charlotte was woken at 4am from the fitful sleep she had been having in the dingy oncall room, it was more of a power nap, no-one ever got rest in the room with the broken blinds, where the electric light from the wards opposite streamed in at all hours. 

****Gynae emergency ED resus*****  
The female voice at switchboard boomed out of her bleep on the bedside table causing it to bounce as it vibrated  
****Gynae emergency ED resus******

In seconds, she had donned her crocs and scrub top and was running towards ED, simultaneously downing gulps of water from her chilly bottle.  
Resus was jumping, all 6 bays had their curtains pulled, alarms going off from every corner of the room, nurses moving with purpose. Charlotte caught one on her way past, lightly grasping her by the arm.  
“Sorry, Charlotte Heywood, Gynae”  
“Second on the left”  
Charlotte entered the cubicle, eyes meeting the ED doctor at the end of the trolley, on which lay a young woman, cannulated both sides, monitors on, blood running in through the drip on the left side.  
“26 year old woman, arrived collapsed by ambulance, tachycardia at 140, systolic BP 60, pregnancy test positive, FASTscan shows free fluid at the liver, we’ve got O NEG running now”  
“So likely ruptured ectopic, does theatre know?” Surmised Charlotte.  
As she said that, the anaesthetist and her ST2 colleague arrived. “Hi Eric, Adam. Eric we have a woman needing emergency theatre for likely ruptured ectopic ASAP. Adam ring the consultant oncall will you”.  
She looked over at the nurse and recognised him as Fred, James’ friend from the pub.  
“Fred, can you get her ready? Oh and what’s her name?”  
“It’s Clara, Clara Brereton”. His eyes locking with hers briefly.  
“Shite” Charlotte mumbled under her breath. She yelled after Adam-“Tell Dr Andrews to get himself in!”  
Charlotte turned towards Clara’s head, her usually ivory skin was translucent, her eyes intermittently flashing open, her lips as pale as the skin around them.  
Charlotte bent down towards her ear  
“Clara, it’s Charlotte Heywood, I know you’re in pain, we are going to look after you. You need surgery, we’re going to take you there now”  
Clara’s eyes tried to turn towards Charlotte’s, she managed the tiniest nod and closed her eyes again....  
“Fred, who is next of kin?”  
“Dunno, she came alone.....”

Eric and Charlotte wheeled her trolley along the corridor as quickly as they could towards theatre.  
“Dr Heywood....I’ve called my consultant, I’m a CT2 I need him for the intubation”  
“Right, well let’s hope he’s quick”  
The emergency theatre team were on standby and opened the electric doors for them as they approached, all hands immediately at their designated task. In no time, Clara was moved to the table, an oxygen mask placed over the mouth, the cardiac monitors attached to the skin of her chest.  
Edward Denham sauntered in: “Situation folks?”  
“Clara Brereton, ruptured ectopic, she is stabilising with the O NEG but we need to proceed with surgery ASAP” Charlotte replied efficiently whilst simultaneously opening out the catheterisation pack.  
The blood drained from Edwards face, he remained motionless despite the nature of the emergency in front of him, unable to kick his professional mode into touch.  
Charlotte sensed a problem.  
“Dr Denham, is there anyone else in the building?”  
“Errr, Esther is doing a laparotomy with the surgeons in theatre 2”  
“Right well tell her you need her to swap NOW”

By the time Dr Andrews arrived, Charlotte had removed the burst tube and was finishing the surgery. Clara had remained stable following the blood transfusion and Esthers careful resuscitation, but she had lost over 2 litres.  
Charlotte felt devastated for her, she didn’t know her well but liked her, she was good at her job and what a thing to have to go through. She walked past the relative waiting room on the off chance, but there was nobody there. 

“So what the F*** Edward! What happened in there?” now the crisis was over and Clara was woken up in recovery, Esther was raging.  
“Tell me you at least kept my other patient out of trouble!”  
Edward was shaking slightly, his usual cocky self replaced by a look of fear.  
“Oh my GOD, you toss bag, are you the F***** father!!?!”  
“God knows Esther, she told me she was on the pill!......was it a pregnancy? Not a ruptured cyst or something?”  
“How long are we talking? You’ve never mentioned being in an actual relationship-and when have you been seeing each other, you’ve spent nearly all your days off with me?!”  
“Relationship, I don’t’ know the meaning of the word. It was sex Esther, just sex, wherever and whenever really....you know how it is”  
“No I bloody well do not. You’re a fool Edward. You’d better do something about it and hope she doesn’t’ report you for assault or you’ll have the GMC all over you and can kiss goodbye to your career”  
“Geez Esther keep your voice down. It was consensual-what do you take me for!”  
She stormed out of the tea-room and went to hunt Charlotte down.

“Think we should disband the footie team Charlotte, you and I both being here just now and it’s been a hell of a night and my mate Clare said she couldn’t make it either”  
“No worries, probably for the best. It’s 6 am already, only 8 hours til kickoff and you’re right I would like some sleep at some point.....Thanks so much for coming to the rescue, you were brilliant”  
“As were you Dr Heywood, teamwork eh!......Poor Clara”  
“Yes, awful”  
Charlotte decided she wouldn’t ask about Edward....she really didn’t think she wanted to know.


	10. 5-a-side football

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No warnings required here. We are once again out of the hospital grounds

The smell of freshly cooked pancakes and bacon met Sidney as he descended the stairs. Entering the kitchen he heard before he saw the children laughing and tucking into breakfast with.......She had her back to him at the island but he would have recognised those curly locks anywhere. He wanted to move his hands through them.  
“Any left for me? Henry, how many have you eaten, your face has more chocolate on it than the jar has Nutella.....”  
Charlotte’s body shivered, she should have known he would be here since she had seen him on Thursday night and he was doubtless here for the football.  
“Me and Jenny have had 3 Uncle Sidney and since Charlotte hasn’t eaten ANY that means Henry has had 5” Alicia was delighted to get her little brother into trouble.  
Charlotte lifted her gaze towards Sidney, whose eyes were already upon her. She looked tired, drawn, her eyes lacking their usual sparkle, he felt guilty, was he responsible for this? The last time they met he had raised his voice at her.  
“Well, I’ll cook some for Charlotte then” he turned to the stove, putting his words into action.  
She found she liked hearing her first name on his lips and registered that he’d finally dropped her title. Perhaps Thursday was just a misunderstanding.  
“Sorry Charlotte, Sidney....James was slow to settle there for his nap. Apologies. I see you have it in hand Sidney, brilliant” Mary wandered into the kitchen as the 3 children ran out having had their messy faces cleaned by their Uncle.  
“Yes, Mary you relax and I’ll brew you both a coffee-Charlotte looks like she could do with one.” Sidney met her eyes again for the briefest of moments, but it was enough to make Charlotte’s stomach do somersaults again. Then again, maybe it was just the lack of sleep making her feel queasy.

“So how was your night shift Charlotte, you do look tired, did you get any rest? .....I am sorry I should have thought to invite you for dinner instead and you could have spent the morning in bed”  
“Well, I tried going to bed but I couldn’t really rest to be honest. It was a difficult night”  
“I am sorry to hear that, do you want to chat it through with Sidney-I can imagine he would understand better than most” Mary tried to keep her voice light so she didn’t sound too much like the matchmaker she was trying to be.  
“Errr, well.....maybe.....I am ok, I’ll chalk it up to the experience shelf.....I’m off next week on study leave for my clinical so I have plenty of time to work it through”  
“Are you back on tonight?” Sidney plated up her pancakes and was appreciating that the conversation was going well so far this morning.  
“No, I was covering a colleague whose flight gets in this morning from his holiday, it’s his weekend on”  
“You’re so good Charlotte. Tom always says the NHS is only viable because of good natured colleagues like you”  
Charlotte felt embarrassed to once again having praised heaped upon her from Mary in front of Sidney. She was sure he had plenty he could boast about but she never heard those stories.  
“Mary, it’s been lovely being looked after this morning but I’m going to try and put my head down for an hour before the footie, would you excuse me”  
“Of course”  
“Thank you for breakfast Sidney” she looked up at him shyly and hastily left, missing the smirk on Mary’s face and the mild shock registering on Sidney’s as he took in her using his first name. 

Tom was busily parading about between football kit clad employees and the volunteers setting up several different pitches on the sand . September was often a pleasant month weather-wise and when the sun came out it it even made for pleasant swimming with the sea being at its warmest. And today, as though the Gods were looking down on Tom Parker, the sun was blasting down. Men were increasingly removing T-shirt’s as the noonday sun and their exertions from the practice matches meant for unbearable heat.  
Charlotte arrived a little after 2, when she registered that there were already 4 matches in full swing. The beach was noisy, chaotic even. Since she was no longer a competitor, Esther’s team having withdrawn, she gave her tenner to Alicia and Jenny, whose lock box was being supervised by Sister Griffiths.  
“Haven’t you two got an important job!” Smiled Charlotte  
“Lovely to see you away from labour ward sister, isn’t it a beautiful day!”  
“Indeed it is Dr Heywood, you’re not playing I see”  
“No we pulled out this morning. Work sort of took over a bit last night-must go and choose my winners”  
“Pick Uncle Sidney’s team, they ALWAYS win” Alicia declared proudly.  
She made her way to Mary and Henry, James was in the baby carrier and she bent down to give him a kiss on the head. “Hello little James, I missed you earlier, what a super sun hat aren’t you the dapper boy for the beach”  
Mary smiled and they fell into easy conversation. Truthfully, she hadn’t immediately noticed it was Sidney’s game that she had come over to watch. Georgiana was right, Tom had also roped in Babbington and Francis Crowe was doing his best to look interested but Charlotte couldn’t help thinking his long gangly limbs weren’t too suited to football. To her surprise she noticed Dr Fuchs was in goal and Edward in defence. A worthy bit of defending between them preventing their opponents from scoring led Sidney to run up to them with a high five.  
He glanced over at that point at Mary and Charlotte, gave Charlotte a little nod and ran back up the pitch. It occurred to Charlotte that Edward was looking better than he had at 4am but her musings back to her night shift were interrupted by Mary.  
“You seem to have made a good impression on my brother-in-law Charlotte.....”  
“Really? Oh I find him so hard to read. He seems to prefer to keep the world at arm’s length”  
“He wasn’t always like that, when Tom and I met and married he was a very different man. Carefree even, at university.....His experience with Eliza has something to do with it I think. They were inseparable towards graduation and then things seemed to slowly fall apart for them. At first I thought it was because they both got into surgical training and the pressure of competition and long hours put strain on their relationship.....but Eliza became the youngest female surgical consultant in London and rumour has it she slept her way to the top, finally marrying Mr Campion, the then surgical CD at King’s. He left his wife and 3 children to marry her.....worst of it is, I hear that they recently divorced”  
Charlotte’s eyes were wide with shock. She had heard of things like this happening but in her goodness and naivety had always imagined that gossip was gossip and important jobs were not given out to women on the basis of how low they were prepared to go in selling themselves.  
“Anyway, that’s why Sidney took on his 3 year research project in Canada. He didn’t need to go, he was already appointed at UCHL, but I guess he needed out of the London circuit for awhile”

Despite Babbington getting seriously distracted by the arrival of Esther, who arrived after 3 wearing wide leg palazzo pants and a camisole in soft lilac, her hair swept to the side and her face glowing, they maintained their lead and along with James’ team were put through to the final. There was to be an interval before the final match of the day and Tom ushered everyone in the direction of the vintage ice cream and coffee van that had been hired for the day.  
“Dr Denham, it is a delight to see you, had you arrived any earlier it would have lost us the game....I cannot take my eyes off you” the grin from ear to ear across his face.  
Esther rolled her eyes  
“Babbington you insist on embarrassing me”  
“Not in the least, I am deadly serious, perhaps you would take a walk with me down the beach?”  
The couple disappeared off in the distance and did not return for the beginning of the final....  
Tom was a little panicked....He wanted to keep up the professional appearance of the game and the more entertainment was provided the more chance of money being spent. The teams were lining up, Mr Hankins ready with his whistle to referee. Silence beginning to fall in the crowds of people gathered as it became clear there was a hold up, whispering and laughing.  
“Oh well Mr Parker, you’ll have to concede the match, you’ve not got enough players”  
James teasingly approached Sidney, a huge grin plastered over his face.  
Charlotte marched determinedly over to the centre of the makeshift pitch.  
“I’ll play” Both men turned to look at her, James’ grin got wider, Sidney frowned, briefly looking her up and down and finding she was wearing those distracting running shorts and a T-shirt that hugged her chest....he wasn’t sure her addition would make for a winning formula.  
Dr Fuchs voice boomed behind him  
“Ah excellent Dr Heywood, you will do very well!”  
Sidney swallowed “Left or right of the pitch?” His voice taking on an unusual strain.  
“I usually play left back but I don’t mind really -it’s only for fun right”  
“Right....I’ll take the right”  
Once the whistle went, Sidney found he was able to gain composure and as Charlotte was able to tackle and strike as good as any male player he soon found he was able to put who was passing him the ball out of his mind and focus on the leather sphere instead. Despite their team being somewhat older overall and when it came to Crowe and Dr F considerably less agile, their team still won 4-2, Charlotte having scored 2 of their 4 goals. She did wonder whether James could actually have saved her first but was going easy. She decided not to let that irk her.  
The final whistle blown, Mr Hankins congratulated the winners and confirmed they would be buying the losers drinks in the Crown at 5pm  
“Well done Dr Heywood” Sidney rested his head to the side in admiration his gaze lingering.  
“Thank you Mr Parker. Was that a smile I detected?” Charlotte responded flirtatiously.  
“Oh I doubt it...” the edges of his mouth curling upwards.  
“Sidney! Sidney!” Tom came towards them with purpose “Well done Sidney, well done Charlotte....Sidney-can I have a word”

It was after 6 before Sidney joined the others in the Crown, Tom having told him of the hospital receiving a high profile complaint that was making him anxious and he spent the best part of an hour trying to calm his brother down....kicking himself for having missed the opportunity to sit next to Charlotte in the pub-That place seeming to have fallen well and truly with James. He had a sinking feeling as he saw them laugh and smile together.  
Babbington and Esther followed in not long after, she looking happy and flushed from her exercise......  
Babbers approached Sidney.  
“Sidney don’t mean to alarm you but received an odd text there from Gilchrist at the Lancet-he wondered whether you were expecting to submit that paper on organ retrieval with your fellow as they received something similar without your name on it”  
“Errr yes, we missed the deadline though, Georgiana says she is waiting for Kings to publish and then she will add it to her review.”  
“Right I’ll clarify it. God knows why he’s asking on a Saturday but there you are”  
“I’ll double check with Georgiana before you reply-maybe it’s in error or she changed her mind.....in fact where is she I didn’t see her at the beach”

“Sorry to interrupt Charlotte, have you seen Georgiana?” Sidney was pleased to have an excuse to approach the corner table where she sat with James and Fred....”I have a research query I need to run by her quickly”  
James rolled his eyes-‘For God’s sake, is that the best you can do mate’  
Charlotte smiled up at him beautifully , looking him straight in the eyes, he felt his cheeks colour slightly.  
“Ah no she is on a romantic weekend away with her boyfriend, no signal, no wifi....or so she texted on Friday evening when I assume she was somewhere still in range”  
“Right, I see....” He couldn’t think of a follow-up to cause him to stay. He hesitated and added “Would you mind letting me know when she gets back, I’ll try and squeeze in a meeting with her before I head back to London-I’ll give you my number”  
“Sure...no problem” Charlotte retrieved her phone and started typing in the numbers as he called them out.  
“Cheers” He wandered off to the bar sidling next to Crowe.  
‘And just like that HE gets her bloody number’ thought James.

———Hi presume you’re already in London, G just back now and is straight to bed, has an early list mane. CH

Sidney had spent most of the evening distractedly checking his phone on arrival back in his one-bed flat in Islington. His heart hammered in his chest when he heard the ping at 11pm. Now he had her number......

———Thanks for letting me know. SP  
He wrote 10 different versions which he deleted, including ‘hope to see you soon’ defo too friendly, that wasn’t where they were at.


	11. The unravelling of Ogiana

“I’m getting scared Char. He normally texts most days, I get that work was about to go off the charts for him with his prep for consultant interviews but it’s been like 3 days and he hasn’t answered my messages”  
“Agree that is odd. Was everything cool at the weekend?”  
“Opposite of cool Char....” She giggled.  
“Seriously what shall I do?”  
“I guess most obvious explanation will be that work is busy and he’s lost his phone charger or something innocent like that”  
“True......”  
They pushed through the revolving doors together and went their separate ways, Georgiana to see her post-ops and Charlotte to the antenatal clinic. She had once again come to the aid of her colleagues in the middle of her study week as Julia had phoned in sick.  
Her mind wandered to Clara, still off sick too obviously and Charlotte wondered if she’d had any visitors. She had sent her a text to check in but hadn’t arranged a visit yet, unsure where the friendship/professional boundary lay. By the nature of the problem, she already knew too much. 

By the weekend, Georgiana was past it. She had spoken to Mr Hankins and by some incredible means of persuasion that only Georgiana was capable of had convinced him to give her compassionate leave. She was packing up her bags as though she would be gone a month, Charlotte hardly knew how to comfort her. In the back of her mind, unless he was the victim of some awful tragedy which presumably would already have come to light-he was working as a surgeon in London after all, they didn’t just go AWOL, Charlotte couldn’t help but feel there was something afoot and that the victim out of all this would be Georgiana. Her work was already suffering, she hadn’t eaten well in days and Charlotte was worried about her going to London alone.

——-Sorry to text. Worried about G. She’s not in a good place right now, on her way to London. Not sure who else to tell. Hope you can look out for her? CH

——-Yes I heard. Will do my best. And don’t be sorry...for texting I mean. SP

Charlottes insides contorted and she felt overwhelming guilt at where her thoughts suddenly went to instead of remaining with concern for her friend. The image of Sidney’s admiring eyes, the tilt of his head, his athleticism on the beach playing football and that other image of him in the water that seemed to be like a portrait imprinted semi-permanently in her head disappeared at the sound of the apartments intercom.

“Hey Charlotte-it’s Esther”  
She buzzed her up  
“Hey how’s it going?”  
“Sorry to barge in on your Sunday. About to go running?”  
“Yea but no rush, coffee?”  
“Great......I didn’t really know who else to talk to. Edward is being a dick...surprise surprise but I think he might be really in the shit this time to be honest and now Aunt Lydia is in under the medics with pneumonia.”  
“Oh I’m so sorry”  
“Well you know there’s no love lost really, she’s a bossy, self interested woman who has gotten her own way for loo long -but it’s weird you know-Ed could do with my straight talking aunt right now and she’s unavailable”  
Charlotte felt the silence sit between them, allowing Esther freedom to expand or close up. The silence remained until Charlotte broke it with “What about Babbington?”  
“Babbington is a fool to come after me, I have nothing to offer him but trouble. He’ll go running once he gets wind of.......” She trailed off, worrying she had revealed too much already.  
“Although I told him I’d come up to London for that ball of his Friday, but I can’t do that now, not with Aunt Lydia and everything......believe it or not I actually don’t have his number. Sending an email through the work system seems a little impersonal and.....well traceable”  
“I can see if Georgiana has his number or Mary perhaps....”

In what was turning into a weekend necessity, Charlotte donned her high viz jacket for an autumnal barefoot beach run. She found that there alone on the sand with the sea spray in her face and the noise of the gulls above her was where she did her best thinking. Her mind was full of Edward, Clara, Esther, Dr Denham, Georgiana....so many complex twists and turns she could hardly make it out. She wanted to help but also knew she needed to focus on her exam on Friday.  
Her reverie was interrupted by a notification on her garmin. She glanced at the watch face and saw **Sidney Parker** come up across the top of the circular screen. Gasping and stopping abruptly she retrieved her phone hastily scrolling up to find the message:

———-Good luck with the exam. Not that you’ll need it. Friday right? Sidney

Wow he remembered.....or maybe he had seen Georgiana and she had brought it up. Either way, he didn’t need to text but he made the effort to and the Sidney thing....He dropped the SP. Her hands shaking slightly she began to compose a reply.  
—Thank you. Yes Friday.....no too cold  
—Yes thanks. How’s G?.....no that’s not right either

———Thank you for remembering I’m touched. Charlotte  
She pressed send and then took a picture of the sea and sent that too captioned: missing this?  
And then as though on a roll a 3rd one  
———Can you forward Babbington’s number-Esther wants to get in touch re ball

Sidney was standing outside the sushi bar a few doors down from his London flat when he received the trio of messages from Charlotte which was the reason Babbington arrived to find find him smiling and staring at his phone, ignoring his first greeting.  
“Sorry lost in my own thoughts Babbers-good to see you” he smiled, giving him a brief hug  
“So you look like the cat that’s got the cream, who’s the lady?”  
“What? No actually just a text looking for your number-Esther Denham wants to get in touch regarding Friday night”  
“Oh that doesn’t bode well, we had the whole thing planned out already, I am or was meeting her off the 4 o’clock at Paddington, and escorting her to her hotel.”  
“Well nonetheless I’ve passed on your number”  
“Who will you have on your arm Sidney on Friday....plenty of women vying for your attention, who did you pick?”  
“Nobody......I’ll be there in purely a professional capacity”

It was some 3 hours later before Charlottes’ notifications went off again, not that she was counting.......her heart sank when she saw it was a contact card for ‘Babbers’. Her eyes moistened, maybe she was overthinking again. A full 5 minutes later came a second reply

——I am not only missing the sea. 

By the Wednesday, Georgiana was no further forward in finding Otis. She had texted a few of his colleagues and found that he was still very much at work as expected, she spent 2 days staking out the hospital entrance at Kings by sitting in the Starbucks opposite on her laptop to no avail and had left him a hundred voicemails. He was not answering his intercom at home.  
She was starting to feel both desperate and angry and this morning couldn’t face getting out of bed at all.  
Her phone buzzed and she had such low expectations of it being him that she ignored it. It went again and on the third text she picked it up

———See attached article-were you not working on this review? Emily  
———PDF attached Lancet online: ‘A review of the organ transplant registry on recipient survival: A population-based study. 1990-2020. Otis Molyneux et al’ 

———Georgiana, call me when you can. Sidney Parker

Georgiana stared at her Home Screen and then opened the PDF. She recognised word for word her introduction and abstract summary.

——-Forget calling, I’ll buy you lunch. See you in Maison bleue at 1pm? SP  
——-Yes ok. GL

“I am so sorry this is happening Sidney, I didn’t know he was screwing me over”  
“Georgiana, I didn’t bring you out for lunch for you to apologise to me, I am the one who should be sorry. This shouldn’t be happening and I want to try to fix it. Babbington knows the editor Gilchrist. If we can show hm it was your original work then he can pull the online article and it won’t even make it to print”  
“But thats the thing Sidney, it’s a review, it’s not original research, it would be my word against Otis’ except for your word on the subject and I could never submit it anywhere. Do you know I sent it to him for proofing. I guess the temptation was too high. His CV is light on research, he was stressed about that aspect when it comes to shortlisting”  
“You’re going to let him get away with it?”  
“Oh I don’t know what to think....I’ll talk to Charlotte when she gets here tomorrow, she always has sound advice.”  
“Will you at least let me chat to Gilchrist?”  
‘No....Maybe....I don’t know. Give me til Friday?”  
“Sure, I’ll bring lunch to your apartment on Friday, I have a clinic in the morning”

Charlotte was glad to finally chat with Georgiana. The lack of news had been taking its toll on her too...  
-I feel like such a fool Charlotte. Wish you could come up tonight. I need a friend and at least a whole bottle of wine  
-I am so sorry Georgiana. I cannot believe this is what has transpired. I’ll get the first train I can but I might need to keep the wine for Friday at 12:00 once the exam’s over....

Charlotte was operating Thursday morning with Dr Fuchs again, this time doing a laparoscopic hysterectomy on a woman with precancerous cells in her uterus. Edward D was anaesthetising and was quiet at the top end. No innuendos today.  
Dr Fuchs was grilling Charlotte on the pathophysiology of endometrial cancer ahead of her clinical in the morning as she reflected the bladder and took the uterines.  
“Dr Denham, how is your aunt?” Asked Charlotte as they reached a natural pause, she having answered the questions to Dr F’s satisfaction.  
“They moved her to ITU this morning. She took a turn for the worse and needed ventilation”  
“Oh dear, oh dear” replied Dr F, “the great lady herself to be on the receiving end now after giving so much to this hospital, a terrible day, terrible day Dr Denham”  
“I am beside myself.” He kept his speech monotone....One would hardly have known whether from distress or sarcasm.

Charlotte’s pass let her into ITU where she found Esther, red faced from crying.  
“Oh Esther, I am so sorry, I wish I could stay with you.”  
“I find myself missing her already, I cannot recognise that emotion in regard to her I honestly thought she would would pass unloved and unmourned”  
“She is still your closest relative apart from Edward. Those bonds run deeper than we often acknowledge or understand”  
“Yes...”  
“I have to leave you to catch the train-so sorry Esther”  
“Don’t be....if you see Babbington tell him I am sorry I let him down.”


	12. A Friday in London

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think I’m safe without warnings on this one....  
> The picture on Twitter is of the great hall at the royal college of surgeons in Edinburgh not London (artistic license please) but the London college does have a life size sculpture of John Hunter apparently.

Knowing paddington was the terminal stop, she allowed herself to rest her eyelids for what felt like the first time in days, head leaning against the condensation of the train windows, she fell asleep soundly, the images of Esther, Her Aunt, Georgiana, Otis and Sidney flashing though her mind as though a stop motion picture. She followed google maps through the hectic streets of London towards Georgiana’s flat in Marylebone-A large open plan 2 bed on the second floor of a Georgian terrace. 

At 9 pm, Georgiana was still talking about Otis. Not that Charlotte expected anything else and if anything it kept her from obsessing over what scenarios might come up in the morning  
“The really shitty thing is Char that I actually would have just given him first author if he’d asked me. He hasn’t had the same opportunities as me-Sidney is a phenomenon and I’ve churned out the publications working alongside him, Otis hasn’t had that chance, his research CV looks a bit meagre. I would have shared it with him but instead he did this. I just can’t square it”  
Many hours were spent dissecting the why and how until Charlotte managed to persuade Georgina to go to bed.

Dressed in her navy shift dress and flat heeled courts she made her way to the Royal College of Obstetricians at 9:30 the next morning. The autumn colours were vibrant in the adjacent Regent’s park, reminding her of the chestnut trees in Willingden and making her feel like a little piece of home was with her today.  
She worked though the first 3 communication skills stations with ease, these were her comfort zone and the viva stations on emergencies she felt ok about too. Less convincing was the 2 part risk management station, her answers seemed too obvious. But by 12 she was all done.  
Breathing in the air as she exited the building and making her way back to Georgiana’s, she felt so grateful to have made such a friend. This 24 hours had been so much easier because of her. She wished and hoped she was offering some support in exchange.

One block away from the terraces’ front door she thought she recognised the steps of one approaching from the opposite direction. Was it him? Was she staring too long? He was still too far away to be sure as she reached the flat. But as he came closer, it was unmistakingly him and here she was standing as immobile as a statue.

“Hello Charlotte” his face breaking into a smile, the low notes in his voice echoing in her ears.  
“Hi” she returned.  
“I have a meeting with Georgiana just now, I brought lunch”  
Oh so he had not sought her out, he was here for her friend only....of course, how could she think otherwise. He registered her crestfallen face and frowned.  
“How was the exam?”  
“Fine thank you, glad it is at an end, I will certainly enjoy the weekend now”  
“Right, yes...so you should.....err...are you going in? I brought enough for 3, I thought you might be joining us, Georgiana had said she would be seeking your counsel regarding the Lancet article”

Surrounded by papers and discarded noodle boxes, the 3 sat at the expansive island in Georgiana’s London kitchen. Charlotte rubbed her temples and drank another sip of the wine that Georgiana had insisted on pouring only for her, as promised, to make up for the night before. There was always a danger in lunchtime drinking, especially after a full on morning.  
“I so admire you for this Georgiana, I think I would find it harder to forgive the betrayal”  
“I agree” added Sidney “but I will do whatever you think is best. I realise now that keeping quiet about my concerns about his existing publications may have been a mistake”  
“Why did you protect him Sidney, it is not like you to overlook imperfection” Sidney’s eyes met Georgiana’s. Her look of frustration was met with one of understanding. “I felt that clinically he was very strong and clearly will and does do an excellent job as a surgeon, what I was uncomfortable with was the way he appeared to be getting his name on research when I knew that he was not the primary investigator. However I didn’t want to rush to judgement since I know making a mark in the surgical world is fraught with obstacles not least for a Nigerian graduate trying to prove himself in London.”

Charlotte registered how she had so misjudged his silence as passive indifference or subtle intolerance and not the tortured conflict of trying to do the right thing by Otis partly because of his race.  
She glanced at the face of the large Newgate clock above the sink.  
“Oh SHIT!...Sorry I’m going to miss my return train” She slid off her stool and ran into the spare bedroom stuffing her revision papers into her bag.  
“Wait Charlotte, please wont you stay?”  
Georgiana followed after her and stood in the doorway watching her pack.  
“But you’re going to the UCHL ball tonight!.....Or are you giving it the flick?”  
“No I’m going, I’m not letting the opportunity slip me by. I need to hold my chin up and move forward. It only comes around once a year. Will you be my plus one? Then I won’t be facing it alone. I think I can handle the pressure if you come with me.”  
Anxiety, indecision and fear crossed Charlottes features, but she had never been able to say no to a friend in need.  
“Ok...I’ll come, but you’d better lend me a dress.”

Sidney sat silently at the island attempting to hear every syllable uttered by her, letting the breath he was holding out as he heard her say ‘ok’. When the two re-entered the kitchen, Georgiana’s arm swung through her friends, he made his excuses to leave. “Can I pick you both up later in a taxi?”  
Charlotte’s gaze bored into him silently expressing her nerves as Georgiana seemed to have regained some of her spirit.  
“Sounds good Sidney-7pm?”  
He nodded, his lips curling into the faintest of smiles.  
The small shop on a lane off Oxford street was still open as he passed. It was like stepping into a bottega on the Rialto bridge, every inch of the walls displaying Venetian masks, glass jewellery and objects in lace. He chose the simplest of masks on its stick supporting subtle gold embellishment.  
“Twice in one week Sir, I am honoured” smiled the man, his accent cementing the authenticity of his present surroundings.

The familiar ding of the alarms still caused Esther to keep glancing at the monitors at her aunts bed. Trained to respond to each warning bell it was difficult to let them go even though she was not responsible for this patient. Her neck ached, she was sleeping poorly, Edward had barely spoken to her though they shared a flat. She had spent little time there, arriving to sleep and occasionally eat. Her appetite vanishing ever since she had sent her apology to Babbington. The London scene was not her thing but still, 24 hours spent in the company of someone resolute on showering her with praise would not be unwelcome.  
Looking up she saw Edward approach, his first visit since their Aunt’s deterioration.  
“Well, la tante n’est pas encore mordue”  
Esther looked at him straight in the face, controlling her temper. He sensed it.  
“Relax E, I came to pay my respects, check on the progress and don’t pretend you care whether she lives or dies”  
“Actually all this time next to her has made me appreciate some of her strengths. She always had the measure of you for example”  
“Yes well about that, I have been summoned to the medical director for an interview...One can only guess that the bitch that is Clara has set me a trap”  
“Whose to say you weren’t setting one for her?”  
“Dear Esther, I know when it comes to the quick of it you will be my fiercest defender”  
She stood up “I’m going to find more coffee”  
The truth was, she didn’t know what she would do, but he was right, she was fiercely loyal to those she loved even when they were undeserving. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she reached the atrium coffee shop, she chose to sit for a time at one of the high tables, watching the streams of patients, porters, domestics, nurses, doctors, physios, people in suits pass through the hospital’s entrance hall.  
Her phoned vibrated in her pocket.

——-Very sorry to hear news re the great Dr Denham. You are in my thoughts. I hope to visit Sanditon soon and perhaps you would allow me to take you out to dinner. Yours, B

She stared at her phone, willing herself to feel something for this man who was clearly a true gentleman. Why did she persist in investing her time in those who damaged her. She got up, bought a coffee for Edward and went back to ITU.

Sidney arrived too early, pacing the street below, this feeling like the very first time he had been with a woman at a dance. And yet he had not even asked her. She was not even his.  
At 6:58 he pressed his finger to the intercom, no voice came through the metal grid, instead he heard the buzz of the door release.  
Dressed in his tux, he still managed to take the stairs 2 at a time, arriving on the second floor in a matter of moments. His breath caught in his throat, his mouth losing all of its moisture as she held the door open for him barefooted, like she had been that day on the sand, he thought. He tried to force his eyes up to her face, passing the deep V split of the gold gown elongating her muscular legs, her tiny cinched in waist, the beautiful shape of her breasts and the strapless corset highlighting her clavicles.

She felt self conscious under his serious gaze.  
“Does it not suit me? I told Georgiana I was worried about gold.”  
His eyes met hers, the little insecure furrow appearing between her eyebrows. He was desperate to kiss it away, swallow her anxieties, become her strength.  
“It is Beautiful” his voice came out hoarse and quiet leaving her wondering whether he spoke of the gown or her in it.  
“I brought you this” he nervously handed her the mask “I thought you would prefer to blend in and they aren’t so easy to come by”  
“Oh.....thank you....I was worrying a bit about the masked aspect, but how did you come by two”  
“Oh I had a spare at home, they’ve done the masked theme before” he lied, unable to say that he spent the whole afternoon thinking about being in her company.  
Their moment was interrupted by Sidney’s phone ringing. He glanced at the screen and put it back in his pocket as Georgiana came out from a room along the corridor.  
“Hi Sidney, thanks for coming to get us, saved us the trouble of sorting a london taxi on a Friday night”  
“My pleasure” his phone ringing a second time he rolled his eyes, his lips pursing together. “Excuse me, I won’t be long”

Sidney paced around the open plan living area  
“But that’s normal procedure Tom when there is a complaint if the patient or client is unsatisfied, it is taken to the ombudsman..............yes....yes I know but it is simply the process that must be followed......all will be well....Tom I’m busy tonight I need to go........see you on Friday .......yes I remember the meeting......9 am...goodnight.”

As they entered the great hall at the Royal College of Surgeons, Charlotte felt as though she was being transported back in time, the gold pillars framing the marbled floor, walls covered in large ornately framed portraits of men of a bygone era, the 50 foot high ceiling a vaulted dome, shards of light would be shining down were it day through the glass roof, but  
now the room basked in a warm glow by the huge chandeliers towering above them. It was breathtaking, yet still incongruous. These strange traditions among the elite in the medical world. She felt out of place, so much more comfortable with the somewhat grim and shabby 1960s Sanditon general. 

Georgiana was greeted and swept away by several colleagues, Charlotte delighted to see joy on her friends face as she and Sidney were joined that same moment by Babbington and Francis Crowe.  
“Parker, you dark horse, who is this spellbinding creature you have with you tonight” Crowe smirked as he patted him on the shoulder.  
“It’s Dr Heywood you fool” Babbers answered for him.  
“Ah Dr Heywood, I didn’t recognise you, the mask suits you” laughed Crowe, his eyes lingering a little too long on her cleavage.  
“Thank-you Dr Crowe, if that was actually a compliment”  
Babbington laughed. Crowe excusing himself as he saw more young women filtering in through the entrance doors.  
“Well Parker, I promised the new chief exec Wakefield I would help him network, catch you both later”  
“So Dr Heywood, what do you make of it all?”  
“It’s all so overwhelming, I don’t think I fit it here at all”  
“I don’t think I do either”  
“But this is your natural habitat is it not?”  
“As you said, I don’t give much away and small talk is not my friend”  
“I confess I find it all rather unsettling, are careers really founded and broken at such events? What’s wrong with choosing people based on their medical ability rather their schmooze rating? There is so much noise and distraction, it cannot be possible to have proper conversation” her face was impassioned and captivating.  
“No one is here for conversation, they are here to be seen. Once their presence is acknowledged they can move on”  
“Well now that Georgiana is settled and doesn’t need me maybe I could make an early escape....if you think that would be acceptable?” She stopped and turned, looking up at him, those giant saucers boring into him pleadingly.  
“Since when have you asked for my opinion” the corner of his mouth pulling up into the beginning of a smile.  
“I know.....I’m too quick to give my own, too blunt and.....”  
“No, you’re not too anything. Don’t doubt yourself, you’re more than equal to any woman here” his voice gentle and caressing, she couldn’t take her eyes off his face even as Babbington interrupted them oblivious to what was transpiring between them.  
“Sidney, Gilchrist is waiting for you at the bar....thought you might want that conversation to be private”  
“Right....excuse me”  
Sidney walked away leaving Charlotte with his friend.  
“Mr Babbington, or is it technically Lord, sorry everyone always refers to you as Babbington”  
“Babbers, Babbington Mr, Lord or even Henry is fine Dr Heywood”  
“Esther asked me to say she was sorry to let you down”  
“Oh....well I am sorry she is not here, I had been looking forward to her company....and actually had thought she felt something too but it seems I was mistaken there.....You’re a woman Dr Heywood, is it possible for a woman to alter her opinion about a man over the course of just a few days?”  
Charlotte’s gaze found Sidney at the bar, in serious discussion with another gentleman. She was struck for the first time that night at how handsome he looked in his tux. Hell, how had she missed THAT earlier, and suddenly felt an overwhelming arousing pull in her centre.  
“Err, excuse me Mr Babbington I think I need some air”  
“Of course”  
She found a side door along the left side of the room and stepped through, immediately sensing the coolness of the air around her and the distraction of the shelves containing displays of surgical instruments and jars of anatomical specimens. Her shoulders relaxed, this felt more familiar. She let out an audible breath of air.  
“My thoughts exactly” the tinkling female voice came from behind her, she spun round to see an older elegant woman in a long black ball gown and a sophisticated up-do standing beside the huge sculpture of John Hunter.  
“Sorry I didn’t realise there was anyone else here”  
“Quite alright, I am tired of the tedious mingling too”  
“So you have taken refuge with Mr Hunter?”  
The lady laughed at Charlotte’s wit.  
“Well I have found dead men to often be better company...and now you are going to tell me that Wakefield is your father”  
Charlotte smiled “No I’ve no idea who he is, in fact I barely know a soul in the London deanery, but from what I’ve heard that’s no great hardship”  
“Well what are you doing here if you hate London so much?”  
“Bit of a long story but my friend Georgiana needed a plus one after being spectacularly betrayed by someone she thought loved her and plagiarised her research and I had my clinical exam this morning so....Well I was here staying at her flat and so I came with her and..Mr Parker”  
“Goodness what a drama!”  
“Yes....well thankfully Georgiana seems to be enjoying herself tonight despite it all, she has more allies than she thought....sorry I didn’t even introduce myself-I’m Charlotte heywood”  
“Susan. But you are not....enjoying yourself that is? You seem somewhat agitated?”  
Charlotte looked at this woman whom she had never met and felt a strange kinship despite only talking for minutes...sometimes talking to a stranger was easier than a long time friend.  
“Sidney Parker, the surgeon I mentioned earlier, he is Georgiana’s mentor-she is doing his fellowship......He makes me feel so angry, so confrontational, I don’t think of myself as confrontational but he seems to bring that out in me.....and yet his compliments mean the world to me”  
Susan smiled knowingly “Sounds to me as though you are in love with him”  
“WHAT!? No that cannot be the case. I don’t fall in love, I am too focused on my job and career and anyway he’s not my type...He’s a hot shot surgeon, I......”  
“There you are Dr Heywood, I thought you might have decided on that early escape”  
He stood there looking at them both an unreadable expression on his face, dashingly distracting in his tux.  
“Ah you must be Mr Parker” smiled Susan.  
“I thought to tempt Dr Heywood onto the dance floor, the DJ has just started up his decks....if I’m not interrupting that is”  
Charlotte frowned at him.  
“You’re not interrupting at all” Susan gently pushed her new young friend toward him.

“I was not expecting a DJ....” Charlotte laughed as they walked back into the spectacular room to be met with the booming beat of Will-I-am singing ‘tonight’s gonna be a good night’  
“It is hilarious seeing all these people dancing to this music, in this room....I do love this song though, always makes me feel happy” she let out joyful laughter and all her limbs began to move rhythmically to the music, her face meeting his occasionally, a huge smile on her face. He met the smile and danced next to her. The floor was busy, enough wine having been consumed to allow even some of the most guarded seniors to loosen their hips. As the last beats of the song became intermingled with the first few bars of what Charlotte recognised to be Coldplay’s fix you she edged her way off the dance floor before he caught her by the hand, spinning her towards him, his other hand coming to rest on her exposed lower back. She gasped as the music slowed right down ‘when you get what you want but not what you need’ His dark eyes boring in to hers, the feel of his warm hand on her bare skin eliciting an overwhelming feeling of need and want that she had only at that moment registered she had been craving. As if reading her thoughts his lips turning up into the faintest smile, his eyes not leaving her face, subconsciously pulling her closer, their thighs touching. So lost was she in his gaze and the words of the song that it seemed to her to end before it had begun, he stopped in the middle of the floor, his hands still holding her as Babbington interrupted them for the second time that night.  
“Sidney, sorry for this, Wakefield wants you to meet the new Team Transplant Lead for England, she is with him now”  
Sidney’s hands lost their grip on Charlotte as he registered that he was at at work function and not alone with her, simultaneously looking at Wakefield and seeing the beautiful woman with him. The same head-turning woman that she always was....Whispering under his breath “It’s Eliza”  
“Yes” replied Babbington, putting his arm around his shoulders as he guided Sidney over to them, leaving Charlotte standing alone on the dance floor.


	13. Back to reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So firstly *warning* contains graphic imagery of scenes depicting events around death. Mentions RTA and Brain injury. Descriptions of caesarean birth.
> 
> Secondly I hope you can forgive the metaphor for the rowing scene. It seems true to the characters in this story but might be too left field for some readers....
> 
> Thirdly: there is a well known joke in the medical world about gynaecologists and ureters hence Eliza’s quip. Right no more clues.

“Left blade please, thank you, and the right, fundal pressure Adam” she guided the little head out from the hole in his mother’s abdomen, the babe immediately shrieking for breath as he left his cocoon for the comparatively cool air of the operating theatre.  
“And here we are mum, a lovely big boy” Charlotte dried the infants skin and clamped the cord, passing the naked new life to its mother under the drape.  
“It never gets old you know that feeling of bringing life into the world, such a miracle”  
In the absence of any further text messages since the weekend, she was grateful for the distraction her work afforded. She was tired of analysing each word he had uttered, each gesture, each hand movement, heck EVERY SINGLE TIME he looked at her. The story Mary told of Eliza would have made her run a mile if she were him and yet she very obviously was not and he appeared to instantly have forgotten their intimate dance as soon as his ex appeared in the room.

She walked the corridor toward the coffee shop, sending Esther a text to see if she wanted one brought up to the ITU waiting room. She had continued to work and appeared to spend every other available moment by her Aunt’s side. Charlotte hadn’t seen Edward all week and Clara was still off sick unsurprisingly.  
Her mind engaged on that trio, she failed to register the presence of Sidney Parker in the coffee queue. Sidney however, since finishing his 9 am meeting with Tom that morning had been wondering what excuse he could think of to visit labour ward and very much had Charlotte on his mind so that when he turned around to inspect the people wandering past in the atrium for the eleventh time in less than 3 minutes registered her arrival immediately and quickly gave up his place in the queue to join her.  
“Good morning Dr Heywood, can I buy you your coffee?”  
“Mr Parker” her mouth going dry “Err I was buying for Esther too, her aunt remains in ITU” her voice faltered, her mind went blank  
“I am sure I can stretch to 2 coffees” he smiled teasingly. “I’ll walk with you, if you don’t mind.”  
“Of course”  
“How is Georgiana? Is she settling back in to Sanditon after her difficult fortnight in London” he thought this was safe ground to begin with.  
“She is as you might expect, working hard, ferociously determined to keep going, hiding her true self”  
“I cannot judge her for that, it is not always easy to reveal ones truest self. There is always a danger in such vulnerability”  
She looked up at him, searching his face for the answers she so wanted.  
“You aren’t that cold mysterious man after all”  
“Don’t tell anyone, no one would ever follow my instructions in theatre again” he laughed softly, smiling at her. She was sorry that they had reached her destination.

“Two waiting to be seen in the emergency admission unit, Adam is there now but might need a second opinion. As you see from the board, all delivered except for XX, a prim with DCDA twins, her epidural is going in now and she was 4cm at last examination. CTGs both normal, she is relaxed about delivery and knows you will be involved since the second is breech” Charlotte passed over the bleep  
“When do you get your result?” Asked Julia  
“Dunno, they say a week to 10 days so anytime I guess”  
“Well enjoy your weekend”  
“Thanks, it’s lovely to finish at lunch, looks like a clear and bright November day out there”  
Her shoulders relaxed as she headed along to female changing. She wondered whether Sidney was here for the whole weekend. Georgiana was working the night shift and now that the exam was over she wasn’t really sure what to do with her time off. A Saturday brunch at the Parkers would be nice....her mind trailing back to the image of Sidney wiping his nephews face. Her thoughts were interrupted by Tom Parkers booming voice, he and a woman were approaching.  
“Ah Dr Heywood, Charlotte, wonderful, wonderful, I was hoping we might catch you. Dr Worcester, this is our very own obstetric star. Dr Worcester is Medical director visiting from Kings in London Charlotte, they are thinking of mirroring the surgical fellowship with a similar obstetric one. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”  
Charlotte at first didn’t recognise Susan in her trouser suit and hair flowing down her back but her face broke out into a delightful smile once she did. “Dr Worcester, a pleasure to see you again”  
“Susan please.....do you have time to give me a department tour?”  
“Yes I’ve just handed over and am free this afternoon”

“And this is us back to the atrium coffee bar...you see you can’t get lost in a small DGH like Sanditon General”  
“I hope you will consider applying Charlotte, Kings could do with a level headed team player like you.”  
“Thank you, I will consider it”  
“And are matters resolved with Mr Parker?”  
“Eh no, I think those feelings may have been one-sided, his ex is team lead on the Transplant rota and newly single....”  
“Ah Eliza Campion, she is certainly infamous, but I wouldn’t let her put you off”  
Charlotte stood watching Susan Worcester exit through the revolving doors. 

A couple of hours after she had first planned to be there, she found herself back along the theatre corridor on the way to female changing.  
“I went to labour ward in the hope of finding you but was told you were touring the department with Dr Worcester” Sidney Parker smiled at her appraisingly.  
“I was, but she has left for London and I was planning a run on the beach” she answered, unsure how much more she could cope with the yo-yo effect of their interactions.  
“I have an organ retrieval to do and I could do with an assistant. Would you mind?”  
“Organ retrieval?”  
“Yes....a young man involved in an RTA this morning, sadly his brain injury was too significant to save him. He was on the donor registry and his family have consented to their removal. The transplant team are on their way from London but since I am here anyway and it takes a good few hours I thought I would make a start.....as I said I could do with a second pair of hands”  
“I’m not sure if I could...”  
“Come on” He said gently, taking her lightly by the elbow and walking in the direction of theatre.

The atmosphere in theatre was unusual, the young man lay motionless and intubated as expected but the usual noise and commotion was lacking. The anaesthetist was sitting doing sudoku, presumably the task of keeping the organs vascularised a lesser one than his normal duties. Charlotte was struck by the dichotomy of one family’s tragic loss being the source of hope for a catalogue of others.

The scrub nurse had clearly done this before and silently passed Sidney the instruments before he asked for them such that it felt as though they were alone. She was entranced by his careful dissection of the kidney, the way the tissues moved beneath his tools creating beautiful planes and spaces. The silence between them soothing not tense.  
“Here, you’re turn” he put the noir scissors into her right hand, “that’s it keep your touch gentle, separate the vein out-you see it there? Perfect.....you have surgeons hands....of course you do” their eyes met briefly before returning to their focused task. 

So engaged in the detailed work in front of them, neither registered the theatre door opening, a healed presence marching in with purpose.

“Sidney, darling, started already?” The atmosphere changed in an instant, she thought she could sense his jaw clench beneath his mask. Charlotte mentally clocked how very few surgeons wore wooden healed clogs anymore but it came as no surprise that Eliza was one of them, ensuring that her arrival would normally not go unnoticed. “Ms Campion, as you see” replied Sidney, his eyes not leaving the abdomen he was working within. Charlotte let out the breath she was holding, his use of her surname giving her a glimmer of hope despite Eliza’s obvious determination to address him as more than a colleague. She gave way to the expert, withdrawing from the table, grabbing her gown by the cloth across her chest to loosen the ties behind her and begin to de-robe.  
“Thank you for your help Dr Heywood” Sidney met her eyes.  
“Dr...” sneered Eliza “You mean she’s not even an FRCS! Sidney what were you thinking”  
“Dr Heywood is a very capable gynaecological surgeon Ms Campion and has done an excellent job helping me with the kidney”  
“Gynaecology, ha well we all know they can’t tell the ureter from the iliac vein”  
As Charlotte retreated to the corner of the theatre to put her gown and gloves in the bin, she continued to hear Eliza’s high pitched conversation.  
“So are you staying at the Crown, Sidney, a drink later, I know how much you enjoy their craft beer selection”  
She left before hearing a reply, eyes welling up, she thinking that actually when it came to it, she didn’t have a clue what he liked to drink....hell she didn’t even know what way he took his coffee.  
She was glad that Georgiana was at work that night, she had not yet confessed any of her thoughts and fears aloud to anyone and today she was even more resolute to keep it that way. As she neared the flat, she was determined she would not shed tears nor lose sleep. Dressing in her ivory silk pjs that she loved the feel of against her skin and wrapping herself in the wool sofa blanket she poured a glass of wine and sat down to Netflix.

He ran down the hill away from the hospital towards the seafront, taking a convoluted route to avoid the Crown, arriving breathless at the door of the apartment. He looked at his watch-11pm-shit, it was late, too late wasn’t it? Torn between indecision and need, he pressed the buzzer. The 90 second delay before it was answered felt like an eternity.  
“Hello?”  
“Hi, it’s Sidney”  
Another delay  
“Georgiana is working”  
“I know, I came to see you”  
The sweet sound of the electronic door release......  
She stood before him in the hallway, arms wrapped round herself.  
“I thought you would be in the pub with Ms Campion”  
A defiant look on her face, that distracting furrow again.  
“No, I came straight here when we were done, I’ve no idea where she is”  
She did not reply.  
“I’m sorry it’s late and......I just needed you to know that...........well I prefer the man that I am with you. I find I can be my truest self with you.......; That’s all I came to say”  
He registered at that moment that she was wearing pyjamas and felt like a fool. Her beautiful skin was glowing in the dim light of the hallway and he couldn’t take her silence. His chest was tightening with every passing millisecond that she remained immobile staring at him wide-eyed.  
“I am so sorry I should leave you” he turned back towards the door behind him.

“Wait....Sidney. Wait.” Her voice came out softly, almost a whisper. He spun around, staying what felt like miles away from her but desperate to be in her arms.  
“Come back for breakfast?” Her soft voice was shy and hesitant, he relaxed his shoulders, smiled for the first time in what seemed to him to be days.  
“Sadly I have to catch the 8 am train back to London, I’m putting that kidney in at 12 at UCHL” Never had he felt more sorry he was on the transplant rota.  
“An early morning walk then? I’ll be awake at 6””Yes! I’ll be here” his reply came so quickly that she let out a faint giggle. It gave her the confidence to step closer to him, dropping the blanket from her shoulders, she tiptoed up and placed a kiss on his cheek. He closed his eyes, his hands coming to rest unbidden on her waist. She stepped back out of his hold. “Goodnight Sidney”  
“Goodnight Charlotte”


	14. Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short and I hope sweet chapter. Happy Saturday everyone and thank you so much for journeying with me this week. I’ve so appreciated your comments. I was expecting negative feedback on the rowing metaphor -you’re all very kind for allowing it 😊

The sun had yet to rise, Charlotte wrapped herself up in layers, fingerless gloves, hat and long down-filled coat and was ready with coffee in 2 travel mugs as Sidney arrived to meet her.  
“Good morning” he smiled, his whole face lighting up as he rested his eyes on her face.  
“Good morning-coffee? I wasn’t sure so I guessed black”  
“Excellent deduction” he turned to begin to slowly walk towards the seafront. Falling into step with her, adjusting his cadence to mirror her pace. They began in silence, neither sure how to start their conversation   
“I forgot it would still be dark for a while yet”  
“Yes, quite”  
“Did anyone wake on your way out this morning?”  
“Mary was up with James....”  
“Yes, babies and their breakfast alarm clocks! I’d forgotten about those”  
“Oh?”  
“Yes, I come from a big family, my youngest sibling is 5. I often did the breakfast shift when I was home for the holidays to give mum a break”  
“I can imagine”  
She met his gaze briefly and immediately looked back down at her feet.  
He caught her hand. She looked at him again, longer this time. They descended into silence again as they reached the end of the beach and began to ascend the cliff path. He was stroking her knuckles with his thumb such that her mind emptied of all rational thought and she felt that longing return that she had experienced on the dance floor in London.  
“Oh, here comes the sun” she gasped as they reached the top of the path, the beauty of the expanse of sea and sand slowly being bathed in a kaleidoscope of pinks and blues.  
“Mmm so beautiful” but he was not looking at the view. He turned his body fully towards her “Charlotte?.....I hardly slept thinking of you”  
His eyes boring into hers, his expression almost pained.  
“Me too” she glanced at his lips.  
He brought his arm behind her back, pulling her toward him and brought his face down to meet her lips, so gently as though she was made of porcelain. She tentatively met his movements with her own. Feeling the electricity between them, she broke away from him, he felt bereft until he saw her unzip her knee length coat to bring herself flush against him. “Sorry I needed to be closer”  
Laughing he replied “Don’t be sorry, I’m here for it” she met his lips then furiously, passionately devouring him, surprising him with her eagerness. When they came up for air, he held her tightly both gazing out together across at the sunrise. “Wow Charlotte....what I would give to not be on the transplant team right now...when can I see you again?”  
“I am in London next weekend. It’s my MRCOG graduation on Friday.”  
“You passed! Well of course you did-why didn’t you say?”  
“The results only came out at 6 last night, when you arrived at my door at 11 it sort of went out of my head”  
“Yes I am sorry about that, selfishly I couldn’t wait another day to tell you how I was feeling, it’s been gnawing away at me and after Eliza arrived well that only made it crystal clear to me that what I feel for you is...”  
Charlotte’s eyes were widening as he spoke.  
“Sorry, I’m...” ‘going too fast for you’ he thought as his voice trailed off.  
“I have never been so happy to be woken up before....”  
“Shit sorry, you were asleep!”  
She giggled “You were worth getting up for” She caught his lips again and moved her hands from the nape of his neck and down his back, untucking his shirt at the back and placing her cold hands under the waistband of his jeans onto the top of his backside, he jumped back with the shock of her cold hands laughing, overwhelmed with joy at her being the instigator of their passion and wondering how soon it would before he felt her skin on skin. “Right before this gets out of hand I’d better get back for that train”  
“So you like it in hand, I’ll remember that” she smirked as she gave him a sidelong glance.  
“Dr Heywood!” He snaked his fingers into hers  
“I urgently need you to talk about the weather”  
She laughed almost the whole way back along the beach.


	15. A week apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a continuum of episode 8, chapter 16 ends with the cliffhanger and I will try to post it tonight also.  
> My final 3 chapters try to address the finale we were left with and that I put my characters through. Will aim to get them out tomorrow so that complete story will be posted before I go back to work. I have a lot of laundry and ironing to do before then tho😬
> 
> Thanks for all your encouragement and sticking with it. No warnings needed here I don’t think

Esther woke on Sunday to a full nights sleep. Miraculously, the senior Dr Denham had made a remarkable recovery and was moved back to the medical ward the previous evening. She stretched and yawned opening the living room curtains to allow the winter sun to stream in through the glass. It was a beautiful morning, a frost glistening on the grass in front of the apartment block.  
She noticed a delivery van pull up, the driver exiting his vehicle to open the back and pulling out an enormous bouquet of flowers. He began to walk the path up to their block. ‘How lovely, someone’s a lucky lady’ not for a million years expecting her buzzer to go.  
‘You didn’t let me down but your absence was keenly felt, B x’ the inscription on the card made her smile. Edward entered having been woken by the buzzer. “Flowers from your lovesick lapdog Esther? What is it you see in him anyway?” She rolled her eyes.  
“None of your bloody business” 

As was want to happen on a Sunday, Monday came round too quickly. Although for one couple that meant they were one day closer to a reunion.  
——Good morning beautiful. Today’s sunrise is missing a vital element. x  
——Good morning. Thought of you on my run on the beach this am.....x  
——I never asked what your plans were for graduation day?  
——M&D meeting me for lunch, ceremony in pm, dinner somewhere, have booked 2 rooms in hotel near the college.  
He wanted to ask if he could join them for lunch or dinner....Too soon...must be or she would have suggested it? He wanted her to drop the hotel and stay with him. He had spent many moments thinking of their kiss on the cliffs. Thank God his work demanded 100% focus and attention when he was there.....  
——can I ring you after work?  
——of course Cx

-I never asked you how the surgery went on Saturday? The kidney transplant?  
-yes, good, it went to an 8year old boy, he’s doing well so far. It was a surprisingly close match for a cadaveric donor.  
-oh I’m so pleased to hear that.  
-how’s your day been, lots of babies?  
-no mostly clinics this week....Sidney, I must ask: are you ok with me telling Georgiana. She’ll guess soon enough I reckon.  
-of course although she’ll try her best to make you change your mind I think. She’s met the taskmaster more than the man...  
-hmm what tasks do you have in mind for me I wonder?  
Laughing -Charlotte, for someone who displays such innocence on first meeting you don’t half know how to make a man lose his mind.  
-who said that was anything but an innocent question?  
Their conversation flowed easily until Charlotte heard the key in the door to the flat  
-better go that’s G home.  
-ok, bye beautiful  
-bye

“You’re falling for Sidney Parker???!”  
“Steady Georgiana, he told me he preferred the man he is around me and we kissed. It’s not exactly serious”  
“Catch yourself on Char, EVERYTHING Sidney does is serious. He literally only has that one mode. And he’s never been out with a woman during my fellowship, he told me he doesn’t have time for relationships-I mean the way he got to me about Otis being a distraction proves the point”  
Charlotte needed another run after that conversation, it was dark outside being late November but she donned her gear anyway and hit the sand. She kept her trainers on this time, there were limits after all and the sand in the dark on a November day in the south of England in bare feet was one of them. Georginana’s words played over and over in her mind. Was it true? How serious was this for Sidney? She was desperate for it to be true but she was also terrified. She had never had a serious relationship and actually despite all her bravado with Sidney, she did not have much experience in the bedroom. Truth was, old-fashioned though it may be considered by her friends, she didn’t find it easy to do sex without depth of feeling and she had never really felt close enough to her previous boyfriends to get over the vulnerability she felt in her nakedness.  
Her knowledge came from her studies and her patients, laughing to herself at how many fantastic women she had met over her years as a gynaecologist, happy to use the doctor’s consultation room as a safe space to talk about their sexual experiences. She took this aspect of her clinical job seriously, after all she was in the business of making sex better, or less painful, or simply possible.  
With Sidney, she had experienced that desire she realised for the first time. She wanted him, she wanted him to see her, all of her....to feel those hands over her skin, those lips......The trouble was for her that meant she wanted everything, she was 10 years into the future already and that was terrifying because how the hell could she talk about any of this without making him run a mile?  
The tall figure ahead walking zigzaggedly along the sand, his suit and leather shoes intermittently being covered by a wave brought her back to reality. She came upon him quickly but gave wide berth until she recognised him.  
“Dr Denham?”  
“Ah, Dr Heywood, bit late for a run is it not?” His speech a little slurred, an empty bottle hanging in his left hand.  
“Is Esther at home? How about we walk in that direction?”  
Edward seemed to be so far gone that he actually turned and began following her. ‘At least he’s not an aggressive drunk’ thought Charlotte.  
She texted Esther and 10 minutes later they were both walking him back to the flat.  
Esther sorted out his wet shoes and trousers and put him to bed while Charlotte boiled the kettle.  
“Thanks Charlotte, I am so glad you came across him, God knows whether he would have eventually found his way home. It’s freezing tonight and he was still in his suit with no coat or anything. The last thing I need is another relative in Hospital”  
“Yes....I almost didn’t recognise him because of the suit....Is everything all right Esther? Can I do anything?”  
Esther took a drink of her tea, letting out a sigh  
“Everything is not OK, Ed was called to the medical director’s office today for a meeting. There’s been an allegation of misconduct against him. Sexual misconduct.....”  
Charlotte wasn’t too sure how to respond, her mind immediately remembering the dark CSSD room and Edward’s strange behaviour the night of Clara’s emergency surgery.  
“I am so sorry Esther”  
“Yes well, it may not be that easy for him to defend himself...You know what he’s like around female colleagues”  
“What is happening to him?”  
“He has been told to take annual leave with immediate effect, it may turn into unpaid leave depending on how things go. At the moment, it is an internal investigation but I’m guessing it will go to the GMC”  
The following morning, Esther sighed with relief when Edward announced that he was going to stay with a friend from his university days in Nottingham for a fortnight..... she was glad to let go of the responsibility temporarily and to have the flat to herself.

——-Which train are you getting tmrw? Your day is busy, when will I see you? X

He finally had sent the text he had been wanting to send all week.  
When Charlotte had described her graduation day with her parents and not mentioned Sidney meeting them, he surmised that she didn’t want to let them know about him-which he understood-it was early days after all but he couldn’t help the insecurity it led him to feel, and the frustration that she would be in London so near to him but not in his presence.

——-Well I was going to take the 9 o’clock, meeting my parents at 12 which gives me an hour or so leeway if it’s running late.  
——-Can you get the 6 am??? Then I can see you before you meet them.....  
——-You’re not working?  
——-Not if you say yes  
——-Yes then

As the jam-packed train pulled into Paddington station just before 8 am filled with Sanditon to London daily commuters, she was inexplicably nervous. She had checked her image 4 times using her phone camera, her stomach in knots. ‘God I’m worse this morning than I was before the exam last week’. They hadn’t technically arranged a meeting place, she assumed she would ring him once off the train, she had no idea where he lived, but he knew she was meeting her parents in this very station in 4 hours and it took time to get places in London......She stepped off the platform and walked toward the security barriers; her butterflies suddenly even more acute as she saw him, just beyond the metal bars, resting against the announcement sign. He wore thigh hugging jeans, suede boots, his shirt open just one button too many under his hip length wool overcoat. ‘God he was handsome....’  
She smiled nervously at him “hello”  
“Hello you. How was your journey?”  
“Crowded”  
“Yes, let’s get out of here” He pulled her by the hand.  
“Where are we going?”  
“Breakfast? There is a lovely little cafe not far from here”  
“Ok” she smiled.

‘The Soda stack’ had a double height ceiling with a mezzanine floor above the main cafe with 3 small cafe tables and in the corner a vintage leather sofa. He motioned her to sit down as he took the other end of it. So far they were alone on the upper floor, they could see the door from where they sat, opening and closing constantly with office workers buying their morning take-out.  
The menu was in front of them with instructions to order downstairs. ‘No interruptions likely then’ thought Charlotte.  
“You’re very far away” smirked Charlotte.  
He was still holding her hand from earlier and squeezed it.  
“Keeping a safe distance after my last experience with you” he joked. “Actually not that comfortable with public displays” he looked down at her lips, his resolve already beginning to crumble.  
“Doesn’t seem that public to me” her doe-like eyes alternating between his eyes and lips.  
He couldn’t resist, and gave her a soft and gentle brush of the lips, then sucked in her bottom lip and grazed his teeth along it. She sighed into him, a delicious noise that was sending his mind rapidly into a chaos of other thoughts.  
“My problem is Charlotte, once I start I can’t stop”  
“I’m ok with that particular problem” replied Charlotte flirtatiously.  
Sidney looked at her with a serious gaze “Are you?”  
She fixed him with her eyes, her face mirroring his serious expression “Yes.....I think I am”  
“I’ve missed you”  
“As much as you miss the sea?....is that what the message meant last week?”  
“Of course. What else? Who else? Was it not obvious?”  
“I wouldn’t have considered your behaviour obvious no Sidney Parker.....’I do not have to justify myself to you’ coming to mind most particularly, ‘new nanny’ coming not far behind”  
“Oh God Charlotte, please don’t remind me.....truth is when I saw you that day with Mary I was hoping you were the new nanny and not Charlotte Heywood the level headed and brilliant obstetrician whose name had been on the lips of Tom and Mary for 2 months. I knew from their descriptions that I already admired you without meeting you and when you were there your god-damn sexy self looking at me with that delightful furrow I was terrified of you”  
“Terrified?”  
“There hasn’t been anyone since Eliza who captivated me so”  
Charlotte wished she hadn’t heard that name across his lips, a surge of jealousy and the image of her at the ball filling her head. She had questions, of course she did, but that was not a conversation she wanted to squeeze in to this day...  
“Shall we order?”  
Sidney misinterpreted her closing that particular conversation as him going too fast for her. He knew he was already all in. It’s the only way he knew how to do things. But he didn’t expect her to be that way, she was younger, still 18 months left of her training scheme.  
The three and a half hours passed in a flash filled with conversation, affection, soda bread, avocado and several cups of coffee.  
“I am guessing you want me to make myself scarce and not come to Paddington and greet your parents?”  
“Well, part of me would love you meet them, I’ve already met some of your family and it definitely gives me a different and wonderful perspective of you”  
“I sense a but....don’t worry you don’t need to explain, I understand. Happily I have only seen the wonderful side of you and can’t imagine there is a side of you that isn’t.”  
“Ali would beg to differ, we shared a room for 19 years”  
He wanted to say, can I share your room for the next 19 years but instead pulled her toward him and kissed her forehead as they approached the entrance to the station. “Send me text updates?”  
“Of course, bye” she reached up and kissed him lightly on the mouth before disappearing among the crowds.

——Have I told you that you’re beautiful Xx  
Sidney responded to the picture Charlotte sent of her outside the college in her graduation robes with her mum. He felt a little sad to be missing out on her big day, he already felt so invested.  
——Maybe....a couple of times Cx  
——so far Mum has assumed I’m updating Ali with all this texting and that becoming MRCOG is the reason I am grinning from ear to ear... XX  
His heart leapt at that. It felt significant to be weighed up against something so important in her career.  
——Presumably it is because you got the prize medal? You’re a wonder Charlotte Heywood. Not that I am surprised. X  
——How did you know?  
——You are on their website....  
——Gosh, oh well x  
——So you’re going back to Willingden in the morning?  
——Yes, mum is insisting we have a family celebration in addition to this one. It will be nice to see everyone. X  
——Your parents likely to retire early to bed???? Any chance of a late night drink with you in your hotel bar?  
The delay in her response already had him panicking that he had overstepped....that she would assume he meant her room.....that yet again he was coming on too heavy, too fast.  
——Sidney, you can’t come all the way to our hotel just for a drink for an hour...hard to say with dad, once he gets merry he has good staying power, but they did get up early for the train.....  
——Text me and I’ll be there, unless it is too much for you...  
——see you later, but you should know, the rooms are interconnecting so...  
Oh God she did think that he wanted that. How to reply? He would have to save that for the face to face.

Charlotte lay in her hotel room, exhausted from the day’s activities. Emotionally spent from all the conversation with Sidney and the time with her parents. She had also woken before dawn to catch the 6 am from Sanditon. She had texted him at 10pm when it looked like her dad was making moves to head up to bed, she felt a little devious but really didn’t feel ready to tell her parents anything. When he arrived at 10:30 he looked a little sheepish and as though to get the elephant in the room out as soon as possible opened by telling her he had every intention of keeping his hands and lips to himself and much as he wanted to kiss her, he was overwhelmingly happy just being in her presence....The hour together hadn’t felt as natural to her as breakfast time doubtless because she sensed her parents above them a few floors up.  
—-I am sorry about this evening, I couldn’t relax  
Her phone rang, it was Sidney  
-Hey  
-I’m sorry Charlotte, I should have let you have an earlier night, it was selfish of me  
-no I wanted to see you too, I should have anticipated this not being the easiest way of seeing each other  
-I am in Sanditon next weekend, I promised Tom I would see him for dinner on Friday-oddly he is insisting we meet at a restaurant instead of home. Anyway can I take you out for dinner on Saturday? I would love to be able to celebrate your achievement today.  
-thank you Sidney, that would be lovely. Do you know I think that was part of my frustration this evening, I wanted you to be part of today, I wanted you there too.  
-That means a lot to me Charlotte, I wanted to be there too. I .....I will make some plans and tell Mary and Tom I will be otherwise engaged on Saturday.  
-Sounds perfect, night Sidney  
-Goodnight beautiful x


	16. Whistleblowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all you for your comments and for the #HotDoc on Twitter.  
> I have had a lot of fun doing this with you on this lockdown holiday. Limited to 5 miles from home has been good for creativity I guess....!
> 
> Warnings mentions terminal cancer diagnosis

Impressively, Georgiana had used her grief and pain to re-launch herself head first into a frenzy of work. Already working on a new review article, she spent her non-clinical hours in the flat pouring over electronic archives.  
Charlotte was worried about coming across too happy and loved up such that she hadnt talked about Sidney over dinner or on the walks they shared to and from work when their start or finish times coincided.  
As they walked in to work that Thursday Georgiana asked  
“What plans have you this weekend Charlotte? I am working long days”  
“Umm...Sidney is coming down to stay at his brothers, think I’ll be seeing him on Saturday”  
“Thank God for that, I was too scared to ask if he had already busted things as you haven’t mentioned him since you told me he kissed you”  
“Sorry Georgiana, I just thought with what you have been through you wouldn’t want me to lay it on”  
“Charlotte, if Sidney makes you happy-and don’t misunderstand me I still think you have questionable taste in men-then I am stoked for you. What kind of friend would I be otherwise”  
“Thanks Georgiana, I appreciate that”

She was halfway through the gynae clinic, which had been overwhelming that morning when she had to tell a sweet lady in her 60s and her husband that she most likely had cancer of the ovary and that curative treatment options may be limited given the findings on her ultrasound scan. This was one of the worst parts of her job. There was no point in giving false hope and it was always devastating. Her mind would inevitably go to her parents and a feeling of dread of the future, an awareness of the inevitability of death and disease. Her mind briefly travelled to Esther who she had met for coffee the previous evening and caught up on news re her Aunt and then also to Sidney and his parents. Neither Mary, Tom nor Sidney had ever mentioned them....she must ask sometime.  
An email notification flashed up in the corner of her screen, she clicked on it before she called the next patient.

From: Susan.Worcester@kings.org  
To: Charlotte.Heywood@doctors.org.uk

Subject: Fellowship

Dear Charlotte,

Firstly congratulations on your MRCOG and the prize medal. Quite an achievement.  
Attached is the advertisement for our new Obstetric fellowship. I hope you will apply. I have already told my obstetric colleagues about you and especially since your success last week, they are looking forward to receiving your application.

Kind regards,

Susan Worcester

She didn’t really have time to think on it and put it out of her head for the next hour of smear taking, biopsies and discussions regarding the pros and cons of sterilisation.  
At lunch on her way to the canteen she sent Sidney a quick text

—-Hey, email today from Susan Worcester asking me to apply for the Kings fellowship  
—-Hey beautiful. Will you?  
—-I don’t know...I’m not really academic, more clinical..better go in lunch Q x

As Sidney sat at that same moment with Babbers in the UCHL canteen, he scoffed as he received Charlotte’s last text.  
“What’s up Parker?”  
“Charlotte thinks she’s not academic enough to do a fellowship-the same girl that won the MRCOG medal last week”  
“Sidney-You are lost....And it is fantastic to see ....I haven’t seen you smile so much ever before to be honest. I envy you”  
“I am sorry about you and Esther. Have you been in touch much now that you finally have her number?” He gave him an affectionate back slap.  
“We exchange text messages, sometimes I find a glimmer of hope but I might be fooling myself”  
“Come with me to Sanditon tomorrow, I’ll take the BM if you like.”  
“Perhaps”  
“Tell me something Babbington, is it wrong for me to encourage Charlotte to apply to Kings when part of me knows it’s because  
I want her here with me in London.”  
“No Sidney, that is not your only reason, you also want her to do her best career-wise”  
“Yes of course except she hates London”

Esther’s 4th night alone with Netflix was becoming dreary so she had sent an uncharacteristically enthusiastic reply to Babbington when he asked her out to dinner on Friday night. Here she was, waiting for the buzzer to go, dressed up for the first time in months, her soft grey halter neck maxi dress and stilettos making her feel feminine again. She was a little nervous -a relatively unusual emotion for her.  
As she opened the door, he looking more dashing than she expected, he came straight toward her kissing her on each cheek.  
“Esther, I cannot tell you what a pleasure it is to see you”.......

“Tom, you the hired a private dining room??”  
Sidney and Tom had arrived at the Crown, with Tom ushering him upstairs to this small secluded space.  
“Err yes Sidney, I felt it was important we were not overheard, small town Sanditon, you know how it is, walls have ears etc”  
“Why didn’t you come up to London then Tom if privacy was so important...my flat is always available-or your house for goodness sake! What is it you need to keep from Mary” “Well I have been in meetings from morning til night, I really wouldn’t have had the time to get away, and Mary, well I don’t want her to worry”  
“Well spit it out Tom, what’s alarming you this time?”  
Sidney was well used to Tom descending into panic if there a whiff of any bad press for the hospital. He had been calming down his brother’s chaotic anxiety for many years. He felt uneasy though, Tom had until tonight always been content to have these discussions at trafalgar place over a whisky in his office.  
“Well Sidney, it is rather involved.....you remember the complaint I told you about, ombudsman etc”  
“Yes”  
“Well, Edward Denham has been suspended pending a GMC enquiry, the complainant wasn’t satisfied with the internal process and ended up involving the police so now they are interviewing staff and some of his female patients at the pain clinic”  
“That is devastating news all round, particularly if he is innocent, I never enjoy watching a colleague being dragged through the mud-but it is hardly your fault Tom, you cannot accept responsibility for every staff member’s behaviour in your building”  
“Well it is not just that. This week we received a document under the whistleblowing act...”  
“Right...”  
“It contains accusations of sexual misconduct from senior staff, fraudulent financial dealings in the gifts and endowment fund, nepotism and racial prejudice in appointing to permanent positions.”  
Sidney breathed out the air behind his cheeks.  
“This is serious stuff Tom, for God’s sake tell me it is unfounded!”  
The silence sat between them for a time.  
“I see that the sexual misconduct allegations will have to wait for the GMC review into Edward, so that will drag out....but tell me the rest is falsehood”  
“Well the fact of the matter is there were complaints about Edward Denham which I am afraid I allowed Lydia Denham to quash without further inquiry. And his appointment could be questioned as she was MD when he was awarded his permanent post..... Sidney, your name is mentioned alongside mine although they are not specific which allegations they refer to”  
Sidney paled. Who was behind all this? The law meant the whistleblower was protected so they would never know.  
“Tom, I don’t have anything to hide, I can substantiate my appointment decisions and there are no skeletons in my closet but this is going to be a mess”  
“Yes that’s what I am afraid of.......the whole hospital is going to be opened up to an independent review.”  
“Yes and it is likely that their conclusion will be to advise GMC referral for any medical staff named, particularly since that process has already begun for Edward”  
“I am so sorry Sidney, I would not wish that process on my worst enemy, I see what it has done to others”  
He held his forehead in his hands, his appetite lost. His thoughts moving to Charlotte. He fought back the emotions threatening to overwhelm him.  
“This is not your fault Tom. You are a victim of circumstance and someone who wants to taint us all with the brush of guilt”

-—hope dinner ok with Tom, breakfast made by me this time? G is working from 9

He hardly knew how to respond to her message as he sat, feeling hopeless in the snug later that night. He left it over an hour before answering, realising too late that she would sense a problem-except when he’d been operating-he had almost always responded immediately.  
-—Thank you, sounds great. Goodnight beautiful x  
He couldn’t help but feel overwhelmingly frustrated that this would be their first meeting in a private space and yet he could not take advantage of that opportunity. 

He knew what he had to do and it filled him with dread.


	17. Convoluted conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So brace yourselves for the conversation between them.....  
> Just as in the series we open with happiness for the wrong couple....but still we all love babbers and esther don’t we?

The sun streaming through the curtains, Esther woke to find her naked limbs tangled in her duvet, turning over she saw the restful face of Henry Babbington, fast asleep on the pillow beside her. She lifted her hand to his face, he stirred....  
“For a moment I’d forgotten you ended up in my bed”   
He chuckled “You are not too disappointed to find me here I hope?”  
She smirked and rolled herself atop him “You are unexpectedly skilled”  
“If that be the case allow me to demonstrate those skills again this morning” he spun her in a swift movement onto her back, registering her soft laughter as the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

As she buzzed Sidney in, she propped the door to the flat open so she could run back to the kitchen, regretting doing a full English because of the multiple simultaneous elements requiring precision timing. He closed the door behind him and followed the direction of the cooking smell. He watched her before she registered his presence, multitasking as usual, her sculpted bum edible in her skinny jeans, her hair tossed messily up on her head, her apron covered in fingerprints. She was......he didn’t know how he would be able to give her up. She must have sensed his presence she turned but only briefly-  
“Hello Sidney, sorry be with you in 2 seconds when these poached eggs are done-can you make the coffees?”  
“Of course” he went over to the machine, starting up the grinding of the beans.

Finally plating up and bringing the food over to the table she came round to greet him properly but stopped as she saw the expression on his face.   
“What is it?..has something happened to Tom, Mary, the children?”  
“No everyone is well”  
“You are not”  
“I....oh God Charlotte I don’t know where to start”  
She felt her eyes moisten, she didn’t even know what the problem was but she already sensed that he was here to end things.  
“It is a very long story. Do you think you can listen until the end. I am not sure I’ll be able to do this twice”  
“Ok” she said. Instantly feeling all colour drain from her face and the hunger vanish. She felt foolish for changing the sheets on her bed, wearing the most alluring underwear in her possession, being secretly thankful that they had the flat to themselves.

As he spoke, she became calmer and calmer, understanding washing over her.   
So you see it is very likely that I will be under investigation soon. I don’t know how long the process will drag out, I’ve had colleagues who have been under review for 2 years. They will trawl though my entire record, all complaints against me, all medicolegals, they will likely dredge up my history with Eliza. Given her high profile position and her friends in high places it wouldn’t surprise me if she turns the story of our relationship on its head and makes me the villain. Certainly she will stop at nothing to keep her reputation intact.

She had taken his hand in hers about halfway through his story at the point at which he mentioned Tom and himself being named in the document and now shimmied closer to him on the sofa and began to stroke the hair behind his head. He closed his eyes as they began to water. He pulled her fingers from behind his neck held onto her hands with his and turned to face her, a tear escaping down his cheek. She was still wearing her greasy apron, he tried to keep his eyes on it unable to look into her beautiful face.  
“Oh Charlotte don’t you see what this means? I cannot be seen with you. I cannot allow you to be dragged into the pit, your reputation as a doctor smeared by association to me. Guilty until proven innocent-that’s the way of these things, it could take months or years to clear my name. I may be suspended like Edward”  
“Sidney....”  
“Please Charlotte, understand”  
“I understand, at least I think I do. Can I summarise and you can correct me if I’m wrong”  
She had been sure when she saw his face that there was some kind of betrayal on its way, that she had misunderstood where this relationship was going and was bracing herself for the blow that was coming. Hearing what was actually going on, whilst in one way terrible for all concerned and surely would be a very unpleasant time felt to her like another challenge that needed to be fought and overcome. Perhaps it was her problem-solving nature and her general optimism but she couldn’t bring herself to think of it as annihilation in the way that Sidney was.  
“You are about to embark on the most challenging time of your career where you feel your integrity will come into question, you will face multiple obstacles and interviews. Colleagues and friends and patients will be asked for statements, old wounds will be opened. Am I right so far?”  
“Yes that’s right”  
“You are worried that when they dredge up the past with Eliza that she will do all she can to protect herself ensuring that if there is wind of her methods she will say you encouraged it and as a result are concerned that assumptions will be made about why I am with you”  
“Something like that yes...”  
“You wish to journey into the abyss alone”  
“No of course not, I don’t wish for that but bringing you with me into the abyss as you call it is selfish and unjustified”  
“How so?”  
“Because neither of us can know the outcome and if it breaks my career it might take yours with it. You are a brilliant Obstetrician Charlotte, I can’t let you sacrifice that....I love you too much to let you”  
Her stoic resolve shattered at those words, the tears running down her face.  
“You love me?”  
“Yes, so very much, almost from the first moment we met, even perhaps before it” he smiled meekly.

“Sidney it is my turn to talk and I want to get to the end of what I have to say without interruption as you asked of me”  
“Ok”  
“You have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing in your practice that the GMC will find wanting, I am sure of it. Feel free to interrupt if that assumption is incorrect!”  
“No, nothing”  
“Right, well, here is where I am at and I am sorry if this is too much too soon but I feel like you need to hear the truth....I want everything with you, I confess to have already had moments of imaging you as a father”  
At this, he let out a soft laugh.  
“I have never felt this way about anyone before and I cannot let you travel into the unknown and go through months of stress and anxiety alone. Unless you would rather someone else was by your side, I want to be there. I suspect the process will be arduous but we will get through it. And worse case scenario if both our careers are grounded I could look for a job as a nanny.” She smiled.  
He wiped the moisture from his eyes.  
“Charlotte....” he put his head in her lap and she resumed the stroking of his hair.   
“I love you too Sidney”  
“Marry me then” he moved his head up to be level with hers. She laughed aloud.  
“So we are going from ending things to marriage...you’re an enigma Sidney Parker”  
“How about we eat breakfast”  
“It’ll be cold”  
“I have more eggs and a microwave”

He felt momentarily lost that she had departed from the sofa to the kitchen area. ‘What a fool I am’ he thought, how could I have thought walking away from her would be even possible. He reflected briefly on the darkness he felt after Elizas’s betrayal and his move to Canada and how the darkness he had descended into over the previous 12 hours was deeper, darker more terrifying. He got up from the sofa, coming at her from behind, snaking his arms round her middle and putting his head on her shoulder.  
“Charlotte, ...I cannot begin to tell you how transformative you are, this past hour you have moved me from a place of despair to one of joy. I am sorry I ever thought I could do anything without you, you make me feel whole again”  
She felt her body relax into his hold. The tears were back in her eyes as he began to kiss the available skin from her ear down to her clavicles. She was still holding on to the pan in front of her, her head coming to rest against his chest. She knew she needed him as much in return. Letting go of her hold at the stove, she reached her arms up behind her to feel his neck as he brought his hands under her jumper to her abdomen, slowly bringing them up to gently cup her breasts, she gasped and turned around; his eyes were dark with desire, and all anxiety that she had been feeling about being with him before now disappeared as the need to be physically closer to him became all consuming.

Charlotte lay naked, lower limbs entwined with her lovers, her right hand stroking up and down his thigh amazed and surprised at the feeling of his muscles under her fingers, her mind silently processing all that had just happened. They had undressed each other in the kitchen with speed and determination, the kissing becoming desperate, his touch burning her skin, then her sudden come to-a realisation that the apartments floor to ceiling windows made her feel like they were free to view, giggling she had pulled him into her bedroom. He began with worshipful ministrations of her body, touching every corner of it with his lips, hands or tongue until she came undone and ended ferociously which had her crying out his name.  
She gazed up into his face, his eyes sparkling with love as he continued slow caressing movements across her skin.  
“So I have never experienced anything like that before Sidney”  
He rumbled a low pitched laugh. “Hmm, I don’t think I have either”  
“No I mean actually never, my previous encounters of the sexual kind have begun and ended pretty quickly and clothes have remained firmly on my person”  
He moved himself up to rest on his elbow, his face serious looking down to her “My God, Charlotte, tell me I didn’t hurt you, I didn’t exactly go gently.....I didn’t realise, you seemed to respond so...”  
“You didn’t hurt me Sidney, it, you, felt wonderful, I didn’t know sex could feel so good. I am feeling a little raw I confess but figure thats to be expected”  
He pulled her close, stroking her back.  
“You are the most wonderful, unexpected and fearless woman I know. Is there any battle you will not fight and win?”  
“Do you think anywhere in Sanditon delivers breakfast? I am not attempting to cook it a third time....”  
“Let me..”  
“No, I don’t want you to leave this bed...mind you coffee would be good”

He brought coffee and 2 bananas back with him   
”Thought these might fill a hole”  
Her cackle resonated around the room bringing tears of laughter to her eyes and Sidney felt that nothing would ever make him feel so happy.


	18. The beginning of the future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These last 2 chapters hopefully wrap up a few storylines to your satisfaction.  
> Can I apologise to any avid lovers of precision grammar particularly for countless errors with s ‘s and s’ which I am afraid still somewhat befuddles me but any errors will be so obvious to some as you read through my story. My excuse is I didn’t have time to ask for a second editor wanting to get this all out by close of play today.

It turned out that Sidney was not the only one to fall fast and fall hard. Whether by nature or professional nurture, Charlotte made serious decisions speedily and efficiently in her work and that appeared to translate into her personal life. She had applied for the Kings fellowship and as expected sailed through the interview, was appointed and started in the February at the same time as Georgiana moved back to London to complete her fellowship at UCHL. Sidney had repeated his question of marriage twice when they had been together, once at his flat in london and once when they were together in Sanditon, both times as he elicited moans from her mouth as he tended to her desire. She never took them seriously. On her 20th day in London, having completed just over 2 weeks of her new job and as she sat in Georgiana’s Marylebone flat she received a text

——Change of plan, wear wellies or the like. X

Confused, having literally never needed wellies in London, she nevertheless dug out her thick socks and walking boots and headed down to meet him when she heard the buzzer.  
“So where are we going?”  
“Wait and see” he nodded his head motioning her to get into the passenger side. She smirked thinking how she much she loved that little head nod he did sometimes....  
“What is it?”he looked at her a slightly apprehensive look on his face.  
“Hmm, nothing important” she smiled back.

He parked the car in a small bay in what felt like the middle of nowhere but they had not travelled too far north west out of London.  
He grabbed a back pack out of the boot and came round to her side of the car.  
He took her hand and they walked up along a muddy path which ascended slowly around a low-lying hill.  
“This is lovely Sidney, how did you know I was missing the outdoors”  
“I’m glad you like it, it’s not as beautiful as the sea but I think when we get to the top you’ll enjoy the view almost as much...I thought after two weeks in London you might want an escape”  
“It’s not that bad you know! I am loving the job. Labour ward at kings is positively energised. The time flies by, my record is 12 babies in one day and I am sure it will be beaten”  
“I hoped you hadn’t come here only because I needed you to”  
She kissed him, choosing to not gratify his self-doubt with an answer.  
“I am so glad that it never came to a GMC investigation. And that Tom’s worst fears weren’t realised....also helpful to know that the bad press those external reviews get when you’re on the inside aren’t as bad as they seem.....I mean they got to the truth didn’t they. And those culpable for error had to face their faults and vow to do better. That has to be a good thing”  
“Yes, maybe Tom will actually remember to keep receipts from now on and pass them on to the accounts department. He is the most infuriating man. To think what we all went through because of a few silly mistakes”  
“I guess it’s like the Swiss cheese model...it only takes a few holes to line up before disaster ensues”  
“Check you Dr Heywood, bringing patient safety into a chat in the cotswold hills”  
She blushed “Sorry I’m such a swot”  
“Hey don’t be sorry, I love that you are brighter and cleverer than me and I suspect outshine all those no-it-all’s at lunchtime meetings....sometimes I wish we were in the same specialty so I could watch you take them down at conferences in your wonderfully humble way, undermining them with eloquence and leaving them speechless.”  
“That is not what happens, I’m very nice when I disagree with someone”  
“Nice but deadly I’ll bet”, earning him a swat on the arm.  
“ What about Edward, do you think they’ll allow him back from suspension”  
“I don’t know, I have known Edward since my schooldays and I honestly thought he was just an uncommonly addicted flirt....albeit a totally inappropriate one. I can’t actually imagine him forcing himself on a woman but then what do I know I’m a man”  
Charlotte had never mentioned her two encounters with Edward to Sidney, there had always been more pressing things to discuss or do....  
“Hmm it’s hard to know I suppose, I’m so very glad that Esther’s found Henry though. He is so good for her”  


“So here we are at the top and I have something I want to say”. He turned towards her suddenly serious.  
She temporarily lost her smile as she saw the intense look in his eyes.  
“Charlotte, I need you to know I am very serious about this so brought something with me this time to underline that” he pulled a little box out of his pocket, opening it to reveal a gold band, a square cut mid blue sapphire flanked by small square diamonds.  
She clasped her hand to her mouth. “Sidney...”  
“I have never wanted to be in someone else’s power before but I am desperate to always be in yours. You make me a better man and have taught me to love in a way I didn’t think was possible. Marry me.”  
She stared into his eyes, sensing the depth of his love. “Yes, Sidney, of course I’ll marry you”  
“Thank God for that otherwise this afternoon’s plans would have turned out a little awkward”  
He brushed his hands through her hair, cupping her face and placing his lips on hers  
“I adore you Charlotte Heywood and I cannot wait to call you my wife”.

Sidney had met the Heywood’s once at Christmas and a second time 2 weeks previously when her parents visited London to see where Charlotte’s new home was with Georgiana. He had met instant approval with Charlotte’s mother who fell in love with him straight away and had embarrassingly mentioned how beautiful their children would be. Mr H on the other hand was a little more guarded. Charlotte was clearly the apple of his eye, he was fiercely proud of her. Sidney sensed that he might respond well to that old-fashioned tradition of asking for his permission to marry his daughter, and that might lessen the impact of what probably appeared to him to be a whirlwind romance. Charlotte had certainly been his whirlwind, had whipped him out of his darkness and brought him into the light, but nothing about it felt rushed to him.  
He had written to him via snail mail and arranged to meet him at the Willingden village pub one Friday evening. During what turned into a 3 hour conversation both had sensed they would develop a strong friendship in time.  
“Sidney-are we going home to Willingden??”  
She began to recognise the roads.  
“Maybe”  
They pulled into the pub car park, her whole family having turned up to greet them with shouts of ‘congratulations’, her mother exploding with excitement. They spent the afternoon drinking beer and eating pub grub, huddled around the open fire, the Heywoods regaling Sidney with countless stories of Charlotte as a child and teenager. When they finally walked home to the farm, the adults were all a little bit merry.

Charlotte woke, her body tightly squashed against the wall in her old bedroom. Ali had vacated the room for them but it was still 2 single beds and after slow and very quiet love making in her old bed, they had intended to separate but clearly that had not happened.  
She teased herself as gently as she could out of her resting place and sat at the window seat, processing the day before and watching her beloved sleep, his back exposed, one arm reaching the floor....yesterday had been perfect, enjoying a simple day with the people she loved.

And so it was that 6 weeks later on Easter Saturday, she met him at the top of the aisle in the little Willingden church, she wearing the dress that her mother had worn in 1979 on her wedding day, as as fashions tend to come around, was perfect in its vintage beauty. Their friends and family joined them, an exclusive group of 50, 15 of them children. Charlotte made an exception to the ‘keeping it as simple as possible’ mantra by her littlest sister and Jenny and Alicia holding hands with her down the aisle dressed in beautiful blue dresses.  
Following the ceremony they all walked along the road to the village pub and were served champagne, beer and fish and chips much to the delight of Crowe who could never support those nonsensical tiny portions served up at the average wedding.  
The pub’s tiny dance floor afforded plenty of hilarity as couples repeatedly bumped bottoms with other couples and the children vied to dance with the bride or groom or both. 

They didn’t have time for a honeymoon as such, just a long weekend in a private log cabin nestled into a hill overlooking Windermere lake but they took full advantage of the opportunity of making love at sunrise and sunset and all the in betweens without needing any window coverings.


	19. An update on the happenings in Sanditon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to say goodbye to Sanditon General and to this medical Sidlotte. Thanks so much for being here with me and all your comments on my story. It’s been a blast. My only regret is not having found a way of weaving Arthur and Diana into my story, if any of you have thoughts on how I’m listening.  
> Xx

Following Edwards harrowing GMC investigation which resulted in him retaining his registration by what felt like the skin of his teeth, he resumed work at Sanditon general in the May of that year.  
Esther had moved out of their shared apartment which they owned jointly by inheritance. She rented Georgiana’s seafront flat when the girls had vacated it in the February deciding that the expense was worth it for a few months at the very least. Babbington was a frequent visitor but was still fairly uncertain as to whether Esther was in it for the long haul. He was committed, had been since way before she allowed him into her bed.

She obtained her CCT and had been applying for consultant posts. Babbers was too scared to ask her where.  
——are you busy at present? E  
It was 2pm on a Thursday.  
——depends what you mean. I have just this minute joined Crowe in the canteen for a coffee. I am doing paperwork this afternoon. Bx  
——can you stand Crowe up in favour of me. I’m here. She sent a drop-pin of the Starbucks opposite the hospital  
He didn’t need to be asked twice.  
He entered the coffee shop finding her at the window. His heart skipped a beat, she was dressed in a suit. Could that mean??  
“Well you look hot as hell in a-I can take you down kind of way-I’ve never seen you dressed like that” he leaned in to peck her on the cheek. She laughed “Well happy to oblige Henry. Can put on the power dressing outfit more often for you in future” he loved hearing his name the way she said it and that she used Henry and future in the same sentence.  
“So, are you going to tell me where you’ve been”  
“I thought that much was obvious....Consultant interview at UCHL”  
“You didn’t tell me”  
“No...”  
“When do you hear?”  
“I already have. The CD phoned me just before I texted you.......I have been offered the post”  
His face exploded into a grin.  
“And you....you accepted?” His voice hesitant, too happy to think what this might mean, but too scared to believe it possible.  
“Yes, starting August....I thought I could move in to your ridiculously posh apartment. If you’ll have me that is”  
“Shall we got there post haste. You could move in this afternoon” she laughed as he pulled her in to his embrace.

——Parker, E appointed substantive at UCHL, moving in w me next weekend. Joining you in the blissfully lovesick group! B  
——Fantastic! Congratulations my friend. You deserve it. Come for dinner soon, C will be so happy to see Esther.

Clara entered into what could be described as a more normal relationship with Fred, that is to say they kept all sexual activity away from the workplace. He was sweet, sensitive and caring, Julia and Mark didn’t last when Mark realised she was falling for James and not him. Marianne the gynae nurse was right-he was ridiculously good at massage. Time would tell if they would last but for now they were enjoying each other’s company.  
Dr Denham senior after being appraised of the trouble she may have inadvertently got the hospital into with her unguarded opinions became a fierce defender of Tom parker and attended the Parker Sunday lunches most weeks.  
Francis Crowe stayed resolutely single and enjoyed the frequent company of women who felt similarly inclined not to settle for one man. 

Sidney and Charlotte traveled back to Sanditon for James’ first birthday that May and were received with the expected over excitement by all the children.  
“Sidney, Charlotte, how wonderful to see you” Mary enveloping them both in a motherly hug.  
“We’ve missed you so much in Sanditon! And to think this all started a year ago today with that bloody puncture!”  
“I’ve never been so glad of my brothers incompetence Mary. If he had had the wit and presence of mind to change the tyre himself I would never have found my Charlotte” he pulled her to him kissing her forehead before she was dragged from him by Alicia with plans to play.  
“So true, Sidney. I am so glad that Charlotte has presence of mind for both the Parker brothers!” She smiled as she watched Charlotte already 100% engaged in a game of hide and seek with her 4 children, her taking James by the hand as they wandered around to find the others.  
“She will make a wonderful mother.....”  
Sidney agreed but remained silent. He was beyond ready to start a family but Charlotte was the one doing a fellowship and he didn’t want to rush her, they’d been together for a mere 6 months, married for 2 and he was sure he wanted her to be the one to raise it first. It would after all be much more demanding of her than him.

Later that night as they sat in the snug together entwined on the sofa, Sidney gently stroking her hair as he loved to do he told her what Mary had said.  
“And what did you say?”  
“I didn’t say anything. It was more of a case of her stating the obvious”  
“Do you think it is too soon to start trying? We’ve not been together very long and I love being with just you but I guess my gynae work makes me a little paranoid about my ageing biology”  
“Charlotte, I don’t see ANY signs of ageing”  
“You know what i mean Sidney, the decline of fertility after the age of 32. It is a real thing and I’ve counselled many couples undergoing fertility investigations over the years and couldn’t help wonder why some of them left it so late”  
“I’ll do whatever you choose, it will be harder on you than me”  
“That’s not strictly true you know, it may mean making certain changes to your working patterns”  
“The transplant rota you mean? Well I have been planning to hand those reins over to Georgiana as soon as she finishes in August”  
“Are you sure?” She looked at him shyly “you’re so good at it”  
“It’s not the only surgery I’m good at, there is plenty more to be doing and I’ll not miss the hours or the travel and the time away from you” Charlotte hadn’t wanted to ask him to stop the transplant rota but was more than delighted he came to this conclusion himself. She felt excited at that moment of what the future might hold.  
“So that’s a yes then, stop the pill”  
“Do you think we might need a practice run, we haven’t done it on this sofa before” he said into her neck as he started to kiss his way down her body, sliding off her silk pyjamas.


End file.
